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You may recall that a few months back I spoke to you about Shiyan's love for alliteration months: No Shave November, Destination December, Jovial January, Focused and Festive February. Well, Meager March is upon us and because she is the words smith in the family, I am going to let Angelyn explain our latest alliteration month to you.
Last semester I [Angelyn] was doing some research into the beggar/homeless situation in China and found an article entitled "China extends cost of living benefits to homeless, beggars". According to this article from August 2007, the government will offer a basic living allowance to those begging because of poverty. The basic living allowance for those living in urban areas has been set at 169.6 yuan ($23.75). So, if someone living in a city makes, say, 100 yuan each month, the government will give that person an additional 69.6 yuan to reach the aforementioned basic living allowance. I was both immediately struck and convicted by this insanely small amount of money the government has stated to be sufficient for basic living costs. This article was the inspiration for what has become known as "Meager March". Originally the idea was to challenge ourselves to live only on 169.6 yuan for the entire month. However, the specifics of Meager March are very much hazy as a whole because there's no right or wrong way to participate. The most important thing is for the people who participate to discover their own purpose, their own motivation, and their own need for becoming involved.
However, Meager March is an imperfect challenge for a variety of reasons. First, we don't pay for our apartments, electricity, water, television, Internet, and phone. If we were in poverty, we wouldn't have these "perks" and 169.6 yuan would be, in my opinion, wholly inadequate to cover all the basic costs one would encounter daily, monthly, etc.
That said, 169.6 yuan is still a small amount of money, and there are several things we will be changing about our daily lifestyles to accommodate this decrease in funds. For example, the majority of our monthly expenses probably goes towards food. We eat out for nearly every meal (which is still very economical since food is so affordable here), but for the next month we will be pulling our community funds to purchase cheap vegetables and other foods to cook things like porridge at home. Another very small yet, for the month of March, significant cost is bus fair. It takes only one yuan to ride the bus, but that's two yuan round trip which adds up quickly. Therefore, we will be walking a lot more.
The second reason Meager March is an imperfect challenge is because we have responsibilities here that cannot and should not be ignored. For example, we often use the Internet to prepare for classes. Previously, I mentioned we will charge ourselves for Internet usage, but that only applies to personal entertainment and unnecessary activity. I consider using the Internet for school something unavoidable and quite necessary so we will not be charging ourselves for time spent in class preparation. We are also here working for a specific purpose which involves a lot of relationship building. If there is a need to spend money to further the work here, then we will not hesitate to spend liberally.
Meager March has evolved into a beautiful event with participants from other cities in China creating their own purpose for and method of becoming involved. I've heard that some friends in Wuhan have modified Meager March: for every yuan they spend on themselves, they will spend the same amount on others.
Me again...I hope that gave you some insight into our latest self-improvement venture. I am really excited about what these next 30 days will hold. A chance to look at the community we live in with a more realistic view, more time to be focused on the purpose for our life here in Shiyan, and growth in the One who has blessed us with so much that we could not even begin to fully understand the meagerness so many live in each day.
Because we just can't get enough of Meager March, the idea arose to challenge ourselves in more ways than one. So while living on 169.6 kuai may be considered a sacrifice, it may be considered insignificant compared to the fact that I will not be wearing any make-up for the entire month ;o)
The Challenges:
Brian to Angelyn and myself: Convince five students from one of his classes to dress up like the five Beijing Olympic Mascots and sing "Happy Birthday" to him on his birthday - March 11th.
Brian to Angelyn: Get two people to buy him the two remaining Beijing Olympic Mascot keychains he hasn't acquired merely by hinting he would like to have them (no asking, begging, or bullying shall be allowed in this challenge).
Angelyn to Brian: It's a secret, but it involves my freshman class.
Angelyn to Me: No make-up for the whole month!! (Except for class, as my students would think nothing of saying to me, "What a pity, you used to be very beautiful)
Me to Angelyn...and than her back to me: Memorize the book of Philippians
And should you choose to accept it...
Me to You: Find a partner, and devise challenges for each other. The challenge should be something that would bring you joy, but at the same time convicts you and leads to personal growth. Be creative with each other!
So I'll be seeing you...in Active April!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Wake Me Up Before You Go
Admission: Wrote this blog once already, but sadly my computer fritz and all was lost. With the loss of those words went all my energy, so this will be less detailed. Sorry for myself, that my future self will suffer from my current apathy, but excited for you all that you will be spared my usual wordiness!
Thailand - Day 32-38
The purpose of our visit to Bangkok was to attend a conference will fellow workers, so the majority of our time was spent in a classroom emotionally and mentally draining ourselves. But it was a great experience! I felt both freed and challenged by what I learned throughout the week and returned home eager to change my current path. Its difficult for me to express what I would like because of certain restrictions...just please lift up the team in Shiyan as we begin to look at making some drastic changes to fulfill our purpose.
Highlights of Bangkok:
* We were able to meet with the Thai Ch-rch in Bangkok, and we met some of the most incredible people there! Aka and Gone were a young couple who took us in and were constantly wandering around the city entertaining us all. Jess and I also fell pretty madly in love with a Thai Military Man - Wayne Brady - Buddhist...the separation was difficult, though I think Jess took it the worst
* Going to the Siam Center, a ludicrously expensive mall to watch P.S. I Love You with Nelda - I am calling it the night of 6 times (bursts into tears)
* A river tour through the choppy channels where I met Aka, Gone & Ja-lan (our military man) for the first time...as well as the priceless entertainment from Jeremy
* Meeting Jeremy, the infamous elephant man. Many of you may remember the person I asked you to pr-y for, a fellow teacher in China who was attacked by elephants and recovering in the Bangkok hospital. He had been released a few days before we arrived and we were able to hang out with him. He completely honored me with what was both the most terrifying and hilarious story I had ever heard!!! I would love to regurgitate some of that for you here, but I promised to hold it in, he is planning on writing a book (his second) on his experience. I was blessed to meet him and excited to hear (or read) more of his incredible testimony.
* SHOPPING...you know me, enough said
Thoughts on My South East Asia Adventure
*This was the first time that I had actually traveled...I know that statement is probably puzzling, but in my mind I don't consider China traveling anymore. China is home, and I definitely felt the difference between the whirlwind movement of those 40 some days. It was amazing to expand my world view in such a way - to be reminded of extreme poverty and the resilience of overcoming war. To hear languages I had no hope of understanding, and the various smiles that spoke volumes. It definitely wet my thirst for more and renewed my desire to spend my life doing SOMETHING
*The amount of selfishness, flippancy, and general disrespect that permeated the culture of many of my fellow travelers was constantly shocking to my system. Even here in China, I am living somewhat in a bubble of people with high morality...the constant barrage of drugs, sex and more drugs that cycled through the day to day of others was devastating to witness. It was a wake-up call to me that renewed my vision from the conference. The vast number of the lost seems overwhelming...how much more so then should we be active and engaged, living in the midst of the world to transform it!
*40 days is a hideous figure...I could have spent that in one province alone. I finally understand why Europeans spend years at a time traveling - there is too much to see!
*Asians make incredibly good western food that does not a healthy budget make...
*Despite its disorder, transportation nightmares and less-than-lush scenery, Cambodia stole my heart. Of all the countries it made the greatest impression on my mind. I was empowered by the people there - the beauty of their spirit in the midst of poverty and the aftermath of war. I know my path will cross with the Khmer again, and I can only hope it is soon.
Finally...PHOTO ALBUMS! (Thanks for your patience, hope you enjoy it)
Southeast Asia #1 - Vietnam
Southeast Asia #2 - Cambodia
Southeast Asia #3 - Cambodia...two
Southeast Asia #4 - Laos
Southeast Asia #5 - Thailand
To sum it up, I have been woken up. When I moved to China, the first months were a constant challenge that left me feeling that I had changed beyond recognition. It is an amazing testimony to the Father that when we think we can't go any further, He informs you He has only just begun. I realize more and more that each day is filled of revelations, and the woman I am in the morning has failed, learned and laughed herself into a new person by the time my head hits the pillow. In travel, you feel that transformation at warp speed and it shakes you. I am anxious to hold on to the feeling I have at this moment of the world and who I am in it. I have a purpose to fulfill, his purpose, and if I spend even a minute thinking of something else, I have lost something irreplaceable.
Thailand - Day 32-38
The purpose of our visit to Bangkok was to attend a conference will fellow workers, so the majority of our time was spent in a classroom emotionally and mentally draining ourselves. But it was a great experience! I felt both freed and challenged by what I learned throughout the week and returned home eager to change my current path. Its difficult for me to express what I would like because of certain restrictions...just please lift up the team in Shiyan as we begin to look at making some drastic changes to fulfill our purpose.
Highlights of Bangkok:
* We were able to meet with the Thai Ch-rch in Bangkok, and we met some of the most incredible people there! Aka and Gone were a young couple who took us in and were constantly wandering around the city entertaining us all. Jess and I also fell pretty madly in love with a Thai Military Man - Wayne Brady - Buddhist...the separation was difficult, though I think Jess took it the worst
* Going to the Siam Center, a ludicrously expensive mall to watch P.S. I Love You with Nelda - I am calling it the night of 6 times (bursts into tears)
* A river tour through the choppy channels where I met Aka, Gone & Ja-lan (our military man) for the first time...as well as the priceless entertainment from Jeremy
* Meeting Jeremy, the infamous elephant man. Many of you may remember the person I asked you to pr-y for, a fellow teacher in China who was attacked by elephants and recovering in the Bangkok hospital. He had been released a few days before we arrived and we were able to hang out with him. He completely honored me with what was both the most terrifying and hilarious story I had ever heard!!! I would love to regurgitate some of that for you here, but I promised to hold it in, he is planning on writing a book (his second) on his experience. I was blessed to meet him and excited to hear (or read) more of his incredible testimony.
* SHOPPING...you know me, enough said
Thoughts on My South East Asia Adventure
*This was the first time that I had actually traveled...I know that statement is probably puzzling, but in my mind I don't consider China traveling anymore. China is home, and I definitely felt the difference between the whirlwind movement of those 40 some days. It was amazing to expand my world view in such a way - to be reminded of extreme poverty and the resilience of overcoming war. To hear languages I had no hope of understanding, and the various smiles that spoke volumes. It definitely wet my thirst for more and renewed my desire to spend my life doing SOMETHING
*The amount of selfishness, flippancy, and general disrespect that permeated the culture of many of my fellow travelers was constantly shocking to my system. Even here in China, I am living somewhat in a bubble of people with high morality...the constant barrage of drugs, sex and more drugs that cycled through the day to day of others was devastating to witness. It was a wake-up call to me that renewed my vision from the conference. The vast number of the lost seems overwhelming...how much more so then should we be active and engaged, living in the midst of the world to transform it!
*40 days is a hideous figure...I could have spent that in one province alone. I finally understand why Europeans spend years at a time traveling - there is too much to see!
*Asians make incredibly good western food that does not a healthy budget make...
*Despite its disorder, transportation nightmares and less-than-lush scenery, Cambodia stole my heart. Of all the countries it made the greatest impression on my mind. I was empowered by the people there - the beauty of their spirit in the midst of poverty and the aftermath of war. I know my path will cross with the Khmer again, and I can only hope it is soon.
Finally...PHOTO ALBUMS! (Thanks for your patience, hope you enjoy it)
Southeast Asia #1 - Vietnam
Southeast Asia #2 - Cambodia
Southeast Asia #3 - Cambodia...two
Southeast Asia #4 - Laos
Southeast Asia #5 - Thailand
To sum it up, I have been woken up. When I moved to China, the first months were a constant challenge that left me feeling that I had changed beyond recognition. It is an amazing testimony to the Father that when we think we can't go any further, He informs you He has only just begun. I realize more and more that each day is filled of revelations, and the woman I am in the morning has failed, learned and laughed herself into a new person by the time my head hits the pillow. In travel, you feel that transformation at warp speed and it shakes you. I am anxious to hold on to the feeling I have at this moment of the world and who I am in it. I have a purpose to fulfill, his purpose, and if I spend even a minute thinking of something else, I have lost something irreplaceable.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Feeling Lao-sy
Laos - D23
We woke up at dawn to the incessent crowing of no less than 16 roosters (which we discovered was soon to be a trend!) No worries, move from the bed to the hammock and let the rising sun and gentle wind slowly lure you back to sleep...when we felt that we had enough energy to move, Graham, Jess & I rented bicycles to ride across to the neighboring island of Don Khong where they boasted 2 waterfalls, one the biggest in South East Asia. Sarah, the fearsome woman that she is, set out to make the trek on foot due to the unfortunate oversight that she never learned to ride a bike! And surprisingly she did not believe me to be an adequate teacher ;o)
***The islands of Don Det and Don Khong are two of the 4,000 islands in the Laos' Mekong River. The islands ranged from about 20 km around, to patches of bushes that appear and hide with the whim of the water levels. Only Don Det and Don Khong are connected by bridge (a half-hearted attempt by the French at a railroad line), the rest are accessible only by boat or a rigorous swim***
We biked to the first waterfall and admired the view, then headed to the beach area for a swim. For some reason we were scared out of the water by the following sing "Danger! People have died here! Don't go past the rope" and the undeniable fact that there was no rope to be seen. We resolved to bike to the next waterfall, but misleading maps only led us further into the island and through what I percieved to be a nudist monastery. So we headed back to Don Det for indian food and a night of spades where the Jessicas brilliantly conquered!
Laos - D24
The R&R was proving too much for Sarah and Graham's adventurous spirits, so they left that morning to head north. But after weeks of traveling, Jess & I were not ready to give up our hammocks and island life. There were probably only about 40 foreigners on the island on any given day, and nothing but a strip of restuarants and bungalows to keep us inside. So we spent the afternoon lounging by the water in the company of a water buffalo we promptly named Cebu.
Laos - D25
After a day of lounging, our muscles were aching to move again, so we signed up for a day of kayaking up the mekong, including visiting the waterfalls again (both big and small), some rapids, and swimming with the freshwater dolphins that populate the area. Jess ws smart enough to snag the kayak with our "attentive" guide, while I put my trust in the "highly skilled hands" of the German Ewan McGregor (think his name was Derek, but must call him Ewan) who had been kayaking for 15 years or so. It became readily apparent that he must have been speaking hypothetically, because all I gleaned from his 15 years of experience were sore muscles from steering from the front of the kayak (lest we crash into the rocks and die) and a sprained wrist (which I got from saving us when we almost crashed into the rocks and died). Yes...Ewan McGregor sprained my wrist, and he managed to do all this in the tiniest speedo I have ever seen. Amazing.
But The scenery was beautiful! We could see the dolphins from our viewpoint, but sadly they were in Cambodian waters, which our guide said we could not cross without a reentry visa :o/ Here is where Ewan came up with the grand plan to strip down again to his glorious speedo, dive into the water, and persist to DO the dolphin (he informed me that we Americans refer to this as the butterfly) in order to lure the dolphins to us. So to add to my sore muscles, sprained wrist, and rapidly enflamed skin from over exposure, I nearly added a hernia to my ailments from uncontrollable laughter! (Mostly at, rarely with)
Good time had by all
Laos - D26
Spent the day tubing back and forth on the river (backside up, so to even out the horrendous mishap of the day before...8 hours in the sun, on the water, sans protections is never a good idea). It was wonderfully relaxing and only slightly painful...
That night Jess and I had two on one time with the King, singing our hearts out in the hammock, breaking indian naan, and remembering the sacrifice with a laos wine cooler. We found it to be one of the best, most refreshing and certainly authentic services yet!
Laos - D27
By this time we were feeling extremely Lao-sy (Laos it or leave it, Peace and Laos, the puns are endless) and felt that if we didn't leave soon, we may never. So we booked our bus tickets out of Don Det for the next day, and had an afternoon of bittersweet goodbyes: the hammocks, Cebu, Jasmin's Indian Restuarant, the bicycle's built for two....and the churkeys! Have I mentioned the churkeys? Things you should know:
A) I hate all birds...they have beady eyes, attack unexpectedly without mercy, make nests in your hair, and are the general spawn of Satan
B) I am a vegetarian, but have no qualms about others eating chickens. The only good bird is a dead bird
C) Laos is the land of chickens.
D) These are not normal chickens...they are churkeys. Half bald, game hen sized, braver than the average fowl, and extra beady
E) The churkeys were a happy goodbye (or so we thought)
Laos - D28
We left Don Det that morning and headed to the small village of Tadlo northeast of Pakse. Sadly, due to time constraints and our lounging in Don Det it was to be our only other stop in Laos. It promised more laidbackness, waterfalls, and bungalows. Right up our Lao-sy alley.
When we arrived, we were dropped off at a shopping post and told to walk about 2 km north to actually arrive in Tadlo, so we began our hike. The only indication that we had reached it was a lone sign that said Tadlo Lodge -->. So we crossed a bridge over a trickling stream and found a resort! Feeling we had earned our own beds and a hot shower, we treated ourselves to a $7 bungalow (a steep expenditure, I assure you) and enjoyed a night listening to the distant waterfall. Lovely
Laos - D29
Assured we had had enough pampering, we left the resort for an equally pleasant $2 bungalow in someone's backyard, and hiked up the river to the 2nd waterfall ***Tadlo is basically a river with 3 waterfalls: Big, smaller and small. Between these lie various pools for swimming, sun bathing, and the spalshes of dozens of naked Laos children. Because if you are not naked, you're not Laos!*** Spent the morning reading there, and answering the never ending mimed questions of various children that "No, you can not keep my Ipod", "Yes, that is Michael Jackson you are listening to", "No, I will not give you money", "No, I will not give you money", "No, I will not give you money", "Yes, you can keep my pen".
Finally, Jess and I got brave a dived into the COLD, but pristine waterfall pools. Rocks and untold dangers will not stop us, we have become fearless women of the Amazon! Or those stupid women you are always telling on the movies..."Don't go there, don't do that, these writers are ridiculous because no intelligent person would ever be so careless"...
Spent the night swapping traveling horror stories with a Canadian and eating incredible Pad Thai!
Laos - D30
We had heard that the 3rd waterfall was sans water due to the dry season and therefore just a giant rock face. Well, we thought we had better see for ourselves! So we set out on the hike to the big waterfall. We were quickly met by some young Laos boys who graciously offered to lead us through their village to the "water. fall. big" and put our trust in 9 year old Kai. He, another boy and 2 girls became our traveling buddies as we jumped boulder to boulder up the rock river. It was a beautiful scene, massive rocks and surfaces warn by years of water rushing over its tops, it felt like walking on the moon! The kids were great fun, we traded names, laos/english words, and jokes. They kept trying to convince me to jump off this ledge into what appeared to be about 3 feet of stale water, but were eased when I told them I was just not as strong as they were!
The sweetness soon came to an end though, as they started to demand the inevitable payment for the pleasure of their company. They finally agreed to be paid in oreos, but that didn't stop the refrain of "Saibady! Money! Pepsi!" all the way back to the village. After 15 minutes we were fed up and told them to go away. Our frustration was only added to when Jess fell in the middle of their village and sprained her ankle. There were people sitting all around, smoking weed, watching and laughing, and doing nothing! We were livid, I had never wanted to yell so badly for just the mere satisfaction that I would be making myself heard! Their understanding ws of little consequance....this was when we decided the culture shock must finally be setting in and perhaps we were getting ready to go back to China. We locked ourselves in our bungalow for the rest of the night with some good English books, but for some reason were unable to focus. May have been teh death ritual of chanting and drum beating that went on from 10 pm to 6 am next door...hard to say...
Laos/Thailand - D31
Despite the day before, we were sad to leave Tadlo. The little village was home to some of the most delightful and sweet people we had met in Laos. We had breakfast and waited for our bus at Mama Phap's; an adorable woman whose two page menu was hand crafted with love. She tied bracelets on our wrists and told us "good luck" then kept us company with stories of her poorly producing pig and flandering husband. She about killed us when about 30 minutes after ordering, she proudly marches out of the kitchen with the biggest (and probably most disgusting) crepe we had ever seen and shouted through her smile, "PANCAKE!". We concluded that had Jess fallen in front of Mama Phap, she would have come running out of her restuarant with a giant pancake and ace bandage. We definitely recommend her giant cup of coffee and warm company for fellow travelers.
We arrived in Pakse where we intended to spend the night, but the Big Guy was pushing our culture shock buttons and telling us to move fast, so we grabbed the afternoon bus to Bangkok and hit the road! 14 hours on a bus seat...no problem... Saibady!!!
Thoughts on Laos
*Everyone thinks its pronounced with a silent "s"... but Laos was a french colony and all the the french people we meet pronounce the "s"...good indication of the correct way
*"Saibady!" is the refrain of Laos people. We probably uttered this phras no less than 88 times a day. It encompasses a myraid of meanings: Hello, Where are you going, How are you, Pay me now, What's your name, Do you find me attractive, Goodbye. Fun to say, fun to interpret ;o)
*Everyone we met in Laos thought I was English; turns out its because I (direct quote) "don't talk like I have a potato in my mouth like other Americans". Thought this was excellent news and plan to use this on my students!
*Laos is a place where life seems to slow down. At first the pace was frustrating to me...if you know me at all you know I am usually set on wharp speed. But I quickly fell into the rhythm here; up with the sun, spend the day with people, not things, sleep when the stars awak. Its really lovely, and infectious. The perfect place to find peace
*I found something else in Laos; with all of the relaxation comes meditation, and I have been constantly kept pondering the mysteries of our Father. Its amazing what has been revealed to me here, and the questions that are circling around in my head. I can't wait to be back in China, diving into the meat of the gospels with my friends.
We woke up at dawn to the incessent crowing of no less than 16 roosters (which we discovered was soon to be a trend!) No worries, move from the bed to the hammock and let the rising sun and gentle wind slowly lure you back to sleep...when we felt that we had enough energy to move, Graham, Jess & I rented bicycles to ride across to the neighboring island of Don Khong where they boasted 2 waterfalls, one the biggest in South East Asia. Sarah, the fearsome woman that she is, set out to make the trek on foot due to the unfortunate oversight that she never learned to ride a bike! And surprisingly she did not believe me to be an adequate teacher ;o)
***The islands of Don Det and Don Khong are two of the 4,000 islands in the Laos' Mekong River. The islands ranged from about 20 km around, to patches of bushes that appear and hide with the whim of the water levels. Only Don Det and Don Khong are connected by bridge (a half-hearted attempt by the French at a railroad line), the rest are accessible only by boat or a rigorous swim***
We biked to the first waterfall and admired the view, then headed to the beach area for a swim. For some reason we were scared out of the water by the following sing "Danger! People have died here! Don't go past the rope" and the undeniable fact that there was no rope to be seen. We resolved to bike to the next waterfall, but misleading maps only led us further into the island and through what I percieved to be a nudist monastery. So we headed back to Don Det for indian food and a night of spades where the Jessicas brilliantly conquered!
Laos - D24
The R&R was proving too much for Sarah and Graham's adventurous spirits, so they left that morning to head north. But after weeks of traveling, Jess & I were not ready to give up our hammocks and island life. There were probably only about 40 foreigners on the island on any given day, and nothing but a strip of restuarants and bungalows to keep us inside. So we spent the afternoon lounging by the water in the company of a water buffalo we promptly named Cebu.
Laos - D25
After a day of lounging, our muscles were aching to move again, so we signed up for a day of kayaking up the mekong, including visiting the waterfalls again (both big and small), some rapids, and swimming with the freshwater dolphins that populate the area. Jess ws smart enough to snag the kayak with our "attentive" guide, while I put my trust in the "highly skilled hands" of the German Ewan McGregor (think his name was Derek, but must call him Ewan) who had been kayaking for 15 years or so. It became readily apparent that he must have been speaking hypothetically, because all I gleaned from his 15 years of experience were sore muscles from steering from the front of the kayak (lest we crash into the rocks and die) and a sprained wrist (which I got from saving us when we almost crashed into the rocks and died). Yes...Ewan McGregor sprained my wrist, and he managed to do all this in the tiniest speedo I have ever seen. Amazing.
But The scenery was beautiful! We could see the dolphins from our viewpoint, but sadly they were in Cambodian waters, which our guide said we could not cross without a reentry visa :o/ Here is where Ewan came up with the grand plan to strip down again to his glorious speedo, dive into the water, and persist to DO the dolphin (he informed me that we Americans refer to this as the butterfly) in order to lure the dolphins to us. So to add to my sore muscles, sprained wrist, and rapidly enflamed skin from over exposure, I nearly added a hernia to my ailments from uncontrollable laughter! (Mostly at, rarely with)
Good time had by all
Laos - D26
Spent the day tubing back and forth on the river (backside up, so to even out the horrendous mishap of the day before...8 hours in the sun, on the water, sans protections is never a good idea). It was wonderfully relaxing and only slightly painful...
That night Jess and I had two on one time with the King, singing our hearts out in the hammock, breaking indian naan, and remembering the sacrifice with a laos wine cooler. We found it to be one of the best, most refreshing and certainly authentic services yet!
Laos - D27
By this time we were feeling extremely Lao-sy (Laos it or leave it, Peace and Laos, the puns are endless) and felt that if we didn't leave soon, we may never. So we booked our bus tickets out of Don Det for the next day, and had an afternoon of bittersweet goodbyes: the hammocks, Cebu, Jasmin's Indian Restuarant, the bicycle's built for two....and the churkeys! Have I mentioned the churkeys? Things you should know:
A) I hate all birds...they have beady eyes, attack unexpectedly without mercy, make nests in your hair, and are the general spawn of Satan
B) I am a vegetarian, but have no qualms about others eating chickens. The only good bird is a dead bird
C) Laos is the land of chickens.
D) These are not normal chickens...they are churkeys. Half bald, game hen sized, braver than the average fowl, and extra beady
E) The churkeys were a happy goodbye (or so we thought)
Laos - D28
We left Don Det that morning and headed to the small village of Tadlo northeast of Pakse. Sadly, due to time constraints and our lounging in Don Det it was to be our only other stop in Laos. It promised more laidbackness, waterfalls, and bungalows. Right up our Lao-sy alley.
When we arrived, we were dropped off at a shopping post and told to walk about 2 km north to actually arrive in Tadlo, so we began our hike. The only indication that we had reached it was a lone sign that said Tadlo Lodge -->. So we crossed a bridge over a trickling stream and found a resort! Feeling we had earned our own beds and a hot shower, we treated ourselves to a $7 bungalow (a steep expenditure, I assure you) and enjoyed a night listening to the distant waterfall. Lovely
Laos - D29
Assured we had had enough pampering, we left the resort for an equally pleasant $2 bungalow in someone's backyard, and hiked up the river to the 2nd waterfall ***Tadlo is basically a river with 3 waterfalls: Big, smaller and small. Between these lie various pools for swimming, sun bathing, and the spalshes of dozens of naked Laos children. Because if you are not naked, you're not Laos!*** Spent the morning reading there, and answering the never ending mimed questions of various children that "No, you can not keep my Ipod", "Yes, that is Michael Jackson you are listening to", "No, I will not give you money", "No, I will not give you money", "No, I will not give you money", "Yes, you can keep my pen".
Finally, Jess and I got brave a dived into the COLD, but pristine waterfall pools. Rocks and untold dangers will not stop us, we have become fearless women of the Amazon! Or those stupid women you are always telling on the movies..."Don't go there, don't do that, these writers are ridiculous because no intelligent person would ever be so careless"...
Spent the night swapping traveling horror stories with a Canadian and eating incredible Pad Thai!
Laos - D30
We had heard that the 3rd waterfall was sans water due to the dry season and therefore just a giant rock face. Well, we thought we had better see for ourselves! So we set out on the hike to the big waterfall. We were quickly met by some young Laos boys who graciously offered to lead us through their village to the "water. fall. big" and put our trust in 9 year old Kai. He, another boy and 2 girls became our traveling buddies as we jumped boulder to boulder up the rock river. It was a beautiful scene, massive rocks and surfaces warn by years of water rushing over its tops, it felt like walking on the moon! The kids were great fun, we traded names, laos/english words, and jokes. They kept trying to convince me to jump off this ledge into what appeared to be about 3 feet of stale water, but were eased when I told them I was just not as strong as they were!
The sweetness soon came to an end though, as they started to demand the inevitable payment for the pleasure of their company. They finally agreed to be paid in oreos, but that didn't stop the refrain of "Saibady! Money! Pepsi!" all the way back to the village. After 15 minutes we were fed up and told them to go away. Our frustration was only added to when Jess fell in the middle of their village and sprained her ankle. There were people sitting all around, smoking weed, watching and laughing, and doing nothing! We were livid, I had never wanted to yell so badly for just the mere satisfaction that I would be making myself heard! Their understanding ws of little consequance....this was when we decided the culture shock must finally be setting in and perhaps we were getting ready to go back to China. We locked ourselves in our bungalow for the rest of the night with some good English books, but for some reason were unable to focus. May have been teh death ritual of chanting and drum beating that went on from 10 pm to 6 am next door...hard to say...
Laos/Thailand - D31
Despite the day before, we were sad to leave Tadlo. The little village was home to some of the most delightful and sweet people we had met in Laos. We had breakfast and waited for our bus at Mama Phap's; an adorable woman whose two page menu was hand crafted with love. She tied bracelets on our wrists and told us "good luck" then kept us company with stories of her poorly producing pig and flandering husband. She about killed us when about 30 minutes after ordering, she proudly marches out of the kitchen with the biggest (and probably most disgusting) crepe we had ever seen and shouted through her smile, "PANCAKE!". We concluded that had Jess fallen in front of Mama Phap, she would have come running out of her restuarant with a giant pancake and ace bandage. We definitely recommend her giant cup of coffee and warm company for fellow travelers.
We arrived in Pakse where we intended to spend the night, but the Big Guy was pushing our culture shock buttons and telling us to move fast, so we grabbed the afternoon bus to Bangkok and hit the road! 14 hours on a bus seat...no problem... Saibady!!!
Thoughts on Laos
*Everyone thinks its pronounced with a silent "s"... but Laos was a french colony and all the the french people we meet pronounce the "s"...good indication of the correct way
*"Saibady!" is the refrain of Laos people. We probably uttered this phras no less than 88 times a day. It encompasses a myraid of meanings: Hello, Where are you going, How are you, Pay me now, What's your name, Do you find me attractive, Goodbye. Fun to say, fun to interpret ;o)
*Everyone we met in Laos thought I was English; turns out its because I (direct quote) "don't talk like I have a potato in my mouth like other Americans". Thought this was excellent news and plan to use this on my students!
*Laos is a place where life seems to slow down. At first the pace was frustrating to me...if you know me at all you know I am usually set on wharp speed. But I quickly fell into the rhythm here; up with the sun, spend the day with people, not things, sleep when the stars awak. Its really lovely, and infectious. The perfect place to find peace
*I found something else in Laos; with all of the relaxation comes meditation, and I have been constantly kept pondering the mysteries of our Father. Its amazing what has been revealed to me here, and the questions that are circling around in my head. I can't wait to be back in China, diving into the meat of the gospels with my friends.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Such is Cambodia...
Cambodia - D17
Due to some (ahem) miscommunication on a few fellow traveling parts, we spent this day in Phenm Penh. None of us felt up to tackling the city, our heads were still reeling from the graphic nature of the day before. As such, Day 17 was treat day - we selfishly indulged ourselves in luxuries that unselfishly benefitted the Cambodian community. In the afternoon we had a Seeing Hands Massage - massages given by blind Cambodians; their handicap gives them a heightened sense that makes their touch flawless, and their talent keeps them living comfortably in a way that many cannot. I would give it a 6 on the pain scale, but for the next 3 days my body felt fantastic...which as you will see proved to be a blessing!
For dinner we hit the FRIENDS cafe - a tapas restuarant that teaches children and young adults the restuarant business. Many of these young people go on to work in high class hotels or restuarants in Phenm Penh. I can see why, it was the best meal we had on our travels by far! It was barely within our control not to order the entire selection from the first bite. Friends is an amazing organization too, they have had over 100,000 kids pass through their school, and over 500,000 women and children through their shelters. Definitely an excellent addition to the Cambodian community that we highly recommend!
Cambodia - D18
Today marks the beginning of what we are merely dubbing "such is Cambodia". In this tiny statement there is a wealth of inuendo - we can't possibly do things the simple way, you never know what is going to happen, sometimes you just have to eat the fried spider, etc etc etc. We boarded our morning bus to the far reaches of Eastern Cambodia where we were promised authenticity and elephant wildlife among other pleasures of less touristy places. We rode for about 20 minutes sans air con and the tough were outwhined by the pampered. Our bus pulled over by the side of the rode and we spent 1 hour in the heat waiting for a new bus to pick us up: Such is Cambodia.
We rode the new bus for about 2 hours to a transfer point called Snoul. Nothing as far as the eye can see but red dirt. We spent a dusty hour there waiting for another bus to take us to Sen Monorom, our destination. The road was described by one Khmer as "barely there" so our expectations were high! The bus arrived and we loaded on. Passanger count: 4 Americans, 2 Swedes, 2 French, 3 Canadian/Khmer, 4 Chinese, 20+ Khmer, 1 Indian and his Khmer concubine, 8 billion mosquitoes and a partridge in a pear tree. We rode the bumpy path for about 6 minutes, when we pulled to the side of the road by a makeshift water stand, another bus and about 15 foreigners. We were told "Everybody out! Take bags" so we all loaded off and the great switch commensed. The foreigners loaded on our bus and drove off, we piled on to the shifty looking bus left behind and awaited movement: Such is Cambodia.
But none came...our driver had been inwittingly fooled by the other, albeit more clever, driver into giving our fully functional bus to them and leaving us with a shell that hardly contained an engine: Such is Cambodia.
6 hours by the side of a dusty road later, long abandoned by the more intelligent Khmer who had figured out we were going no where, the foreigners stopped arguing and agreed to spend the night in Snoul at the lone guesthouse standing. The only option for getting back into town was two foreigners to one Moto, bags squished in front with the Khmer driving through the dark sans headlights: Such is Cambodia.
Cambodia - D19
We woke up early, anticipating paying a taxi driver to take us to Sen Monorom, but were pleasantly greeted with the news that the bus company had finally acknowledged our plight and agreed to pay for a pick up to take the remaining foreigners (4 Americans, 1 Indian and his Khmer concubine) to our final destination. We loaded into the 4x4 pickup with about 15 Khmer, plus all our bags. Squished but grateful, we were ready to go...until the bus driver demanded payment. Turns out they had put is in the wrong pick-up, this was not our free ride. Everybody out: Such is Cambodia.
The new pickup arrived, we loaded into the (even smaller) pickup with (even more) Khmer and pulled out of the bus station...and drove approximately 25 feet...where the driver informed us that the bus company had decided that they were not responsible, but the Snoul division was so they should be required to pay, not the company. The Snoul division felt differently, and since both companies were refusing payment our pickup was going no where: Such is Cambodia
As we negotiated prices ($100 American dollars for the 6 foreigners) we all decided Sen Monorom could not possibly be worth it! So we made to leave the truck, when suddenly the Snoul division renigged (could be easily assumed that they just wanted us to pay and save themselves the trouble) and we were on our way! Graham linking arms with the Indian friend atop a tire, Sarah straddling the side of the truck, Jessica riding the luggage with a television set in her back, me tucked in the cornor at an angle with no less than 3 sharps objects in my side, and no less than 20 Khmer claiming approximately 7 inches of space for each of them. To sum up: 4 hours on a unpaved, red dirt road...sleeping legs, broken butts...entire body surface, crevices and orvices coated in red dirt: Such is Cambodia!
Cambodia - D20
Having arrived in Sen Monorom in tact, we were thrilled with the small town and authentic feel. It was one of the first times we had spent a day without hearing "Lady! Buy! Tuktuk Lady?!?" and it was a welcome respite. But we had come to Sen Monorom with a purpose to be fulfilled, and fulfill it we would! Jessica's (the other one, not speaking in the third person) great love in life is elephants. So we woke up early to begin our day of elephant trekking and all its wonders.
We were given a sack lunch and moto-ed out to a smaller village, where we were greeted by two adorable elephants! Their names were yet to be revealed (because obviously you cannot name an elephant until you take in its personality), but Sarah and I claimed the elder, more broken in elephant while Jessica and Graham took the younger. We rode on top in little baskets and our elephants were guided by a man and his sons (names also yet to be revealed). The ride was beautiful! We suantered through this barren wasteland, similar to an African safari, and were suddenly making our way down a mountian into the jungle. The ride down proved a bit precarious, as there were many moments we had to dangle over a ravine while Carla stopped for a bite to eat or a toe scratch until Carnie beat her into submission. (Explanation: We named our elephant Carla because she was an EATER! We named our guide Carnie, a proud nod to Connie and Carla, and the fact that he was an evil mistreater of animals...like a carnie) There were branches in the face, making me feel right at ease with my constant fear of reptiles, but the fact remained: we were riding through the Cambodian jungle on an elephant! We lunched at a river were we released our elephants to roam. We indulged in a jungle swim (wink wink) and some trekking where I proved what an Amazon woman I truly am (nudge nudge). Finally, we had to hunt our own elephants for the return trip home! Bella came willingly, and she was rewarded with a bath from Casanova and Jessica (Explanation: Jessica named her elephant Bella, because its cute I suppose, and the guide Casanova because he picked her a wild jungle flower). Carla proved that she cannot be controlled and she came in her own time. Much like the trip home, which she made in her own time! No longer afraid of the bamboo cane, Carnie had to resort to fire to scare her into movement! Despite the fact that there were a number of times Sarah and I faced our death down the side of the elephant, and my comfort level in that tiny basket was rivalling my ride in the pickup, we had an incredible experience!
Cambodia - D21
We left that morning praying for a smoother day. We volunteered for another day in the pickup (because lets face it, we had no other option!) but by that time had found the joy in a dirty road trip. So we headed back to Snoul and caught another pick up to Kratie. This time we became even more native, riding the 2 hour road to Kratie on top of the pick up instead of in the truck bed....we felt truly Khmer. There were even tourist taking pictures of us, so we will be gracing some photo albums in the near future.
We arrived at the river town of Kratie, but only for the night. Sadly, Sarah was ready to get another country under her belt so we were to leave for Laos in the morning. Kratie quickly revealed that there was tons of fun to be had there and will remain my one regret on this trip. Cambodia as a whole was nothing short of delightful...I LOVED IT. I highly recommend it for any world traveler and I will be sure to make a return journey in the near future - there are still wonders to be found here!
Cambodia/Laos - D22
The border crossing was fairly uneventful. Truth be told, because a bridge was out it took us 2 hours to cross a 200 meter river, but in comparison to the Sen Monorom trip, we were perfectly accepting of our circumstances. The border crossing at Voen Khamn is unofficial, so we were forced to pay ludicrous bribes of $2 usd's to cross, but corruption is a part of life here. Once across, we borded a boat to take us to Si Phon Dan, aka: The 4,000 Islands. In one word: paradise
Our stopping point was Don Det, probably the second largest island in the chain and nothing more than one great strip of hole-in-the-wall restuarants and bungalows. The weather is perfect, the water pristine, and the locals laid back. There are maybe 50 foreigners on the island at any given time (probably because the electricity only comes on for 4 hours each night) and there is no agenda. Just R&R to the tune of $5 dollars a day...wonderful!
I spent the evening enjoying an authentically Italian dinner, prepared by an older Italian woman (or man, to be prefectly honest I could not tell) named Paulo and her lover, and an older couple from Belgium. It was a truly hilarious affair, and the food was inredible. I was soon joined by the others, as well as my Polish stalker and his eerily silent traveling companion (another story for another day). Never fear, Graham stepped up and safely carted the girls to bed before the Paulske and Adam could do too much damage...
Due to some (ahem) miscommunication on a few fellow traveling parts, we spent this day in Phenm Penh. None of us felt up to tackling the city, our heads were still reeling from the graphic nature of the day before. As such, Day 17 was treat day - we selfishly indulged ourselves in luxuries that unselfishly benefitted the Cambodian community. In the afternoon we had a Seeing Hands Massage - massages given by blind Cambodians; their handicap gives them a heightened sense that makes their touch flawless, and their talent keeps them living comfortably in a way that many cannot. I would give it a 6 on the pain scale, but for the next 3 days my body felt fantastic...which as you will see proved to be a blessing!
For dinner we hit the FRIENDS cafe - a tapas restuarant that teaches children and young adults the restuarant business. Many of these young people go on to work in high class hotels or restuarants in Phenm Penh. I can see why, it was the best meal we had on our travels by far! It was barely within our control not to order the entire selection from the first bite. Friends is an amazing organization too, they have had over 100,000 kids pass through their school, and over 500,000 women and children through their shelters. Definitely an excellent addition to the Cambodian community that we highly recommend!
Cambodia - D18
Today marks the beginning of what we are merely dubbing "such is Cambodia". In this tiny statement there is a wealth of inuendo - we can't possibly do things the simple way, you never know what is going to happen, sometimes you just have to eat the fried spider, etc etc etc. We boarded our morning bus to the far reaches of Eastern Cambodia where we were promised authenticity and elephant wildlife among other pleasures of less touristy places. We rode for about 20 minutes sans air con and the tough were outwhined by the pampered. Our bus pulled over by the side of the rode and we spent 1 hour in the heat waiting for a new bus to pick us up: Such is Cambodia.
We rode the new bus for about 2 hours to a transfer point called Snoul. Nothing as far as the eye can see but red dirt. We spent a dusty hour there waiting for another bus to take us to Sen Monorom, our destination. The road was described by one Khmer as "barely there" so our expectations were high! The bus arrived and we loaded on. Passanger count: 4 Americans, 2 Swedes, 2 French, 3 Canadian/Khmer, 4 Chinese, 20+ Khmer, 1 Indian and his Khmer concubine, 8 billion mosquitoes and a partridge in a pear tree. We rode the bumpy path for about 6 minutes, when we pulled to the side of the road by a makeshift water stand, another bus and about 15 foreigners. We were told "Everybody out! Take bags" so we all loaded off and the great switch commensed. The foreigners loaded on our bus and drove off, we piled on to the shifty looking bus left behind and awaited movement: Such is Cambodia.
But none came...our driver had been inwittingly fooled by the other, albeit more clever, driver into giving our fully functional bus to them and leaving us with a shell that hardly contained an engine: Such is Cambodia.
6 hours by the side of a dusty road later, long abandoned by the more intelligent Khmer who had figured out we were going no where, the foreigners stopped arguing and agreed to spend the night in Snoul at the lone guesthouse standing. The only option for getting back into town was two foreigners to one Moto, bags squished in front with the Khmer driving through the dark sans headlights: Such is Cambodia.
Cambodia - D19
We woke up early, anticipating paying a taxi driver to take us to Sen Monorom, but were pleasantly greeted with the news that the bus company had finally acknowledged our plight and agreed to pay for a pick up to take the remaining foreigners (4 Americans, 1 Indian and his Khmer concubine) to our final destination. We loaded into the 4x4 pickup with about 15 Khmer, plus all our bags. Squished but grateful, we were ready to go...until the bus driver demanded payment. Turns out they had put is in the wrong pick-up, this was not our free ride. Everybody out: Such is Cambodia.
The new pickup arrived, we loaded into the (even smaller) pickup with (even more) Khmer and pulled out of the bus station...and drove approximately 25 feet...where the driver informed us that the bus company had decided that they were not responsible, but the Snoul division was so they should be required to pay, not the company. The Snoul division felt differently, and since both companies were refusing payment our pickup was going no where: Such is Cambodia
As we negotiated prices ($100 American dollars for the 6 foreigners) we all decided Sen Monorom could not possibly be worth it! So we made to leave the truck, when suddenly the Snoul division renigged (could be easily assumed that they just wanted us to pay and save themselves the trouble) and we were on our way! Graham linking arms with the Indian friend atop a tire, Sarah straddling the side of the truck, Jessica riding the luggage with a television set in her back, me tucked in the cornor at an angle with no less than 3 sharps objects in my side, and no less than 20 Khmer claiming approximately 7 inches of space for each of them. To sum up: 4 hours on a unpaved, red dirt road...sleeping legs, broken butts...entire body surface, crevices and orvices coated in red dirt: Such is Cambodia!
Cambodia - D20
Having arrived in Sen Monorom in tact, we were thrilled with the small town and authentic feel. It was one of the first times we had spent a day without hearing "Lady! Buy! Tuktuk Lady?!?" and it was a welcome respite. But we had come to Sen Monorom with a purpose to be fulfilled, and fulfill it we would! Jessica's (the other one, not speaking in the third person) great love in life is elephants. So we woke up early to begin our day of elephant trekking and all its wonders.
We were given a sack lunch and moto-ed out to a smaller village, where we were greeted by two adorable elephants! Their names were yet to be revealed (because obviously you cannot name an elephant until you take in its personality), but Sarah and I claimed the elder, more broken in elephant while Jessica and Graham took the younger. We rode on top in little baskets and our elephants were guided by a man and his sons (names also yet to be revealed). The ride was beautiful! We suantered through this barren wasteland, similar to an African safari, and were suddenly making our way down a mountian into the jungle. The ride down proved a bit precarious, as there were many moments we had to dangle over a ravine while Carla stopped for a bite to eat or a toe scratch until Carnie beat her into submission. (Explanation: We named our elephant Carla because she was an EATER! We named our guide Carnie, a proud nod to Connie and Carla, and the fact that he was an evil mistreater of animals...like a carnie) There were branches in the face, making me feel right at ease with my constant fear of reptiles, but the fact remained: we were riding through the Cambodian jungle on an elephant! We lunched at a river were we released our elephants to roam. We indulged in a jungle swim (wink wink) and some trekking where I proved what an Amazon woman I truly am (nudge nudge). Finally, we had to hunt our own elephants for the return trip home! Bella came willingly, and she was rewarded with a bath from Casanova and Jessica (Explanation: Jessica named her elephant Bella, because its cute I suppose, and the guide Casanova because he picked her a wild jungle flower). Carla proved that she cannot be controlled and she came in her own time. Much like the trip home, which she made in her own time! No longer afraid of the bamboo cane, Carnie had to resort to fire to scare her into movement! Despite the fact that there were a number of times Sarah and I faced our death down the side of the elephant, and my comfort level in that tiny basket was rivalling my ride in the pickup, we had an incredible experience!
Cambodia - D21
We left that morning praying for a smoother day. We volunteered for another day in the pickup (because lets face it, we had no other option!) but by that time had found the joy in a dirty road trip. So we headed back to Snoul and caught another pick up to Kratie. This time we became even more native, riding the 2 hour road to Kratie on top of the pick up instead of in the truck bed....we felt truly Khmer. There were even tourist taking pictures of us, so we will be gracing some photo albums in the near future.
We arrived at the river town of Kratie, but only for the night. Sadly, Sarah was ready to get another country under her belt so we were to leave for Laos in the morning. Kratie quickly revealed that there was tons of fun to be had there and will remain my one regret on this trip. Cambodia as a whole was nothing short of delightful...I LOVED IT. I highly recommend it for any world traveler and I will be sure to make a return journey in the near future - there are still wonders to be found here!
Cambodia/Laos - D22
The border crossing was fairly uneventful. Truth be told, because a bridge was out it took us 2 hours to cross a 200 meter river, but in comparison to the Sen Monorom trip, we were perfectly accepting of our circumstances. The border crossing at Voen Khamn is unofficial, so we were forced to pay ludicrous bribes of $2 usd's to cross, but corruption is a part of life here. Once across, we borded a boat to take us to Si Phon Dan, aka: The 4,000 Islands. In one word: paradise
Our stopping point was Don Det, probably the second largest island in the chain and nothing more than one great strip of hole-in-the-wall restuarants and bungalows. The weather is perfect, the water pristine, and the locals laid back. There are maybe 50 foreigners on the island at any given time (probably because the electricity only comes on for 4 hours each night) and there is no agenda. Just R&R to the tune of $5 dollars a day...wonderful!
I spent the evening enjoying an authentically Italian dinner, prepared by an older Italian woman (or man, to be prefectly honest I could not tell) named Paulo and her lover, and an older couple from Belgium. It was a truly hilarious affair, and the food was inredible. I was soon joined by the others, as well as my Polish stalker and his eerily silent traveling companion (another story for another day). Never fear, Graham stepped up and safely carted the girls to bed before the Paulske and Adam could do too much damage...
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