Lessons Learned

Our 40 days in the desert have ended – It is April 1^st and the experiment of Meager March has been declared a success...well, a completion anyway… So I want to share with you all the wisdom we gleaned from the lessons that we couldn’t help but learn.

Lesson 1: I am only slightly less inept in the kitchen than I believed myself to be. We began so optimistically…tackling Chinese non-recipes with the naivety that watching someone else make something a few times would be a sufficient tutorial. There were the good, the bad, and the ugly – but in the end we managed to feed ourselves on a number of occasions and there was no food poisoning involved. Turns out Angelyn is still a better girl than I will ever be, and even Brian can wield a mean spatula. Thanks to some angelic students, I can now make a few edible Chinese dishes. However, don’t hold your breath when I return to the states because we all know my inherited clumsiness trumps all.

Lesson 2: People are not often friends with those in low places. There is a possibility this may come across as accusatory – I assure you that is not my intention…I am obviously not one to speak. I am ashamed to admit that I do not have many friends who are below my own economic status. Circumstance may place us in the same sphere, but my own limitations keep me from reaching out. I think the reason behind that is that we rarely engage in relationships we don’t see as reciprocal. We noticed early in Meager March that we received almost no emails or phone calls from back home, and even our Shiyan compadres were less and less visible. Had I been on the other side, there is a more than strong likelihood that I would have acted the same. I guess it just opened my eyes to that particular lesson, and honestly it left me a little sad. Because I now even more know how relationships strengthen themselves when you spend time talking together instead of just being together. Brian and Angelyn were my saviors this month. I honestly can’t even begin to tell you where I would be in this place without them.

Lesson 3: I am an information addict. The thing that tortured me most about Meager March was not the lack of money, missing out on the latest episode of LOST, or even the fact that our friends grew scarce…it was NO NEWS. My name is Jessica Boffey and I am an information addict. Amid Tibetan protests and Obama/Clinton primary fights – we were sans info. It was hard…eventually we broke and began to spend our coveted kuais on a newsbyte here or there. But I have learned that you can take my money, take my television, but don’t touch my free information! Guess I’m an American after all…

Lesson 4: I have never known poverty, and I probably never will. Pretending to be meager can never teach us what true meagerness is. Anything that arose this month that required more than our budget allowed could be pushed to April. Grand plans of travel could be dreamed with the knowledge that we would have the means when the time came. I have been blessed. There were countless students and family members who refused to let us live where we wanted to. They were shoving money in our pockets and bringing food to our homes. I know with full confidence that should the day come when I lose everything I have been given, I know that my family and friends would never let me live in the daily of true meagerness.

Challenges Met…Kinda… You may remember that there were a number of challenges issued at the beginning of Meager March. So in an effort to honor full disclosure…here is the score:

***The No Makeup challenge was passed with flying colors. The first few days I was told numerous times that I must be sick by some well meaning Chinese who don’t understand the American concept of appropriate comments…but we worked through that and save the occasional forgotten face-washes, I spent a make-up free March. The challenge to my vanity was made, and I wish I could say that I woke up on April 1^st and did not think about painting my face. I think I have become less dependent, but the demons that plague my self-love will not be so easily stilled by 31 days. It’s going to be a longer battle that I fully intend on winning.

***The Philippians Memorization challenge flopped horribly. I think I counted 40 verses memorized, some 60 ignored. Luckily, God honors those who don’t bow to defeat. I will keep plugging along, though it may take me a little longer than anticipated…perhaps 2009 is a good goal…

***Happily, Angelyn and I redeemed ourselves by hitting our Olympic Birthday challenge out of the park! I am pleased to report to you that on Brian’s birthday there were 5 students dressed as their respective Olympic mascots reciting a poem they had written in honor of their beloved teacher. I’ll just give you this sound bite: One Brian, One Dream. It was CLASSIC…please, enjoy the video!

Meager March...a month of challenges

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!

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.

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.

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...

TukTuk Lady?

Cambodia - D11
I am in love with two things...snorkling, and snorkling instructors! Though I think the first love is the one meant to last. Today we woke up early and caught a boat ride two hours into the Gulf of Thailand for a day of snorkling around some more secluded reefs. It was awe-inspiring - as soon as I figured out how to breath you couldn't pull my head out of the water! I loved being so close to His incredible creation, feeling completely at home in a world where I so obviously did not belong. I wish had more words to describe it, but I felt like I was living Finding Nemo (save the frightening first scene for M audiences). Sadly, there were no sting ray or shark sightings, but the hope kept the day exciting. We docked for about an hour on an island out in the gulf and it was the first time since I had been in South East Asia where I got to interact with the kids here without having to take out my wallet. They wanted to touch my face, not my money! I walked with 3 of them around the beach for a while, where they challenged me to a barefoot game of coral chicken (which I promptly lost). The boat ride back was an adventure all in itself, I just kept waiting for George Clooney to appear from below deck to help me ride out the waves, but life just disappoints sometimes...

Cambodia - D12
We were not ready to leave our beach haven yet, so the morning was spent at the beach. ***Admittedly hiding under the umbrellas because our poor skin couldn't take much more*** We took a few last dips in the crystal sea, before heading for the comfort and air conditioning of a little black market theatre in town. They were showing their biweekly run of "The Killing Feilds", a movie from the 80's about an American and Cambodian journalist during the Khmer Rouge takeover. Though less distrurbing than some of the books I had read on the subject, and a little too focused on the poor guilty American during the mass genocide of the Cambodian people...it was eye-opening none the less. Its amazing how little we are taught about the Cambodian plight, but I will get to more of that later. Our last night on the beach was spent partaking in coconut curry *my current addiction* and the realization of my dream! Drinking coconut milk, from the coconut, with my toes in the sand. Euphoria.

Cambodia - D13
I woke up to the loudest rooster known to man (or a loud one period to this city girl) but I welcomed him because I had a sunrise to kiss. So I crawled out of bed and hit what I expected to be a disserted beach. I had forgotten that the rest of the world is not lazy and often up with the sun, so I was in good Cambodian company. There were even a few Americans still high on the previous night's "happiness" who were walking off the jitters. One such charming Aussie pair even stopped to saronade me with this lovely tune: "Writing on the beach, oh this girl is writing on the beach...bet she's quite a peach...hope her boyfriends not a leech so he won't care about my speech of LLLLLLLOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEE" (Think its destined to be a hit myself). The rest of the day was spent on the bus to Seim Reap, in which I devoured a pack of oreos and 2 Paulo Coehlo books. Thanks to Sarah's abundant literary collection I have found a new favorite, luckily he is available all over these towns, cause the Khmer love their Coehlo.

Cambodia - D14
Seim Reap did not give us much time to adjust, because we were up early to beat the crowds to Angkor Wat. Our trusty tuktuk driver Poah was on strict orders to take us anywhere we wanted to go, and we quickly dubbed the little cutie Bobble Head Poah.
The Temples of Angkor is the largest religious ground in the world, the town of Seim Reap is actually inside of the official boundries itself. Sadly we did not have the time to see everything, so we explored the select few that were not to be missed. Angkor Wat, Ankor Thom, Pat Thom and Pat Keo. Angkor Wat was the grandest and most impressive, but as we moved down the list we found the relics less crowded and more interesting. Pat Thom was like a scene straight out the the Jungle Book with its winding trees and beautiful delapitation. The crazy girls singing "I'm the King of the Jungle"? Need you ask? Sadly, we were not rewarded with the promised monkey sighting, so the wait continues.
That night we found the most incredible restuarant where we treated ourselves to $5 meals (a splurge, trust me). Don't let the name deceive you...Dead Fish Towers was something straight out of Seattle's cooler districts. It looked like a lodge, with pulleys and hidden staircases taking you to various eating levels. Elton John tracks interrupted by the occasional Khmer dance, and about 15 crocodiles under the floorboards. This was the day I decided to marry a gourment chef and open an exact replica of this place in Seattle - as would be the only true road to happiness.

Cambodia - D15
You are probably as sick of reading about days spent on a bus as I am of spending them. Synopsis: Bus from Seim Reap to Phenm Penh - Another Paulo Coehlo book - Lao visa application in - exhausted foreigners out

Cambodia - D16
Which brings us to today...sunburned, mosquito bitten, growing poorer by the second, and extremely happy still! I am feeling so overwhelmed by my blessed life, and challeged every day to be worthy of it. Grace is too sweet a gift. We spent the day at the various cultural sights around Phenm Penh related to the Khmer Rouge genocide. For those of you whose history classes neglected this subject as much as mine, here is a breif history:
Throughout the early 70's the Khmer Rouge, a communist militia in Cambodia, was at war with the current government, attempting to overthrow what they viewed to be an oppressive regime. In 1975 they succeeded, and marched into Phenm Penh proclaiming their victory. The next four years was one of the worst Communist takeovers in history, where the Khmer Rouge systematically waged genocide on the educated, wealthy, elderly, or artistic. Anyone who was at one point in their history tied to the defeated government, or could have possibly had any positive feelings about said government, or who was less than thrilled about their new system was killed without a second thought - man, woman, child. The entire population of Phenm Penh was forced out of the city, and the Khmer people spent the next four years starving to death in forced labor camps or dieing at the hands of teenage killing machines in various prisons. In 1979 the Veitnamese overtook the Khmer Rouge and the genocide was finally ended. It estimated that over 3 million people died in that four year period. Its said that this Cambodian genocide is worse than the Holocaust, because never before had so many people been killed at the hands of their own countrymen.
So this morning we visited Tuol Sleng, a high school turned prison in 1975 to house the "enemies" of the Khmer Rouge. In a word, it was devestating. We walked in and out of prison cells stained with blood, containing photos of the victims as they were found in the rooms after the Khmer Rouge had deserted. We walked through rooms absolutely covered with the mug shots of the "dangerous prisoners" - old men battered and brusied, women holding their infants, children. There were torture devices and shackles still in the makeshift cells. Over 20,000 prisoners went through Tuol Sleng in those 4 years, 7 survived. We had the privilege of seeing one of those survivors because they were shooting a documentary about him at that time. The cameraman was showing us the exact cell he stayed in - amazing.
Then we made our way to The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, not just a name of a movie. The killing feilds is the name given to the places where they would take prisoners to die, and be buried in mass graves with thousands who had shared their fate. There are killing feilds all over Cambodia, but this particular one was the dumping ground from Tuol Sleng. Mass graves have since been unearthed there, and we could walk the ground, still finding clothes and bones sticking out of the earth around us. It was horrific, but at the same time so incredibly poigant. Here we were walking in the same place where men and women begged for their lives, and the ground was littered with butterflies. We could hear children laughing and playing at a near by school. There is life here in Cambodia, and I think today I fell in love with this country. When I was walking the halls of Tuol Sleng, I was so struck by the faces of the thousands of prisoners. They did not look defeated nor afraid, most of them stared boldly into the camera, a few even smiled. They stared death in the face and had the most incredibly resiliant spirits. 30 years later, the children of thise massacre live a life of poverty, still under a communist government. But they have forgiven and are so full of love. I feel inspired and challenged. I'm breathless.

Thoughts on Cambodia
*Coconut Curry - addicted, can't get enough, must learn this magical recipe and bring this joy to others
*Cambodia is a land of propositions. Since entering this country, I have been constantly bombared with propositions: tuktuks, motos, pineapple, mango, coconuts, water, water, ice water, opium, marijuana, 4 hand massages, island boys, island girls...the list goes on and on. They are offering you every imaginable deadly sin or comfort, and its amazing to me how the lost and hurting have found an outlet for their pain here.
*The symphony of the city is the following: TukTuk Lady? TukTuk Lady? Lady! TukTuk! I wish I could write the sound of their voices, but trust me...its hilarious
*I already talked about the history of this war-ravaged place, but let me revisit it. Its shameful how little I knew of this land and its people. What they have survived is nothing short of amazing, and reading books like "First They Killed My Father" or "Pol Pot's Regime" only begin to brushthe surface of the reality that plagued these people. Their capacity to survive and to forgive are beyond what I can comprehend. They still suffer so much with painful memories and lasting fear of land mines or government persecution, I hope you will all keep these people in your PRYRS.
*My two personalities are at home here. The lover of all things western comforts has been rewarded with espressos, veggie burgers, book stores, tour guides and air conditioning. I have followed the older European tourists around various "required tourist activities" and have been perfectly happy inside my travelers box. My darker, more adventurous side is leaping out though, and Cambodia is offering the perfect outlet! Tomorrow we will leave the city *finally* to make our way north to less touristy venues with promises of elephant treks and secluded waterfall dives. I am ready to be free of these western restraints...bring on real life!

Jeremy Update
He is stable, and catagorized as in serious condition, but expected to make a full recovery. He was transfered to a hospital in Bangkok, and his family is there now. Hopefully we will get to see him when we get to Thailand! Thanks for lifting him up, please continue to do so!

There's Nothing Here Now That I'll Miss, Why Send Me Now A Night Like This?

When I last wrote you, I was in Ho Chi Minh City - attempting to prepare myself mentally for the craziness that appeared to be Saigon. Sorry it took me so long to write again, but you will tell I have been busy. Hopefully my mother will forgive me my forgetfulness...

Veitnam - D5
After a stay in a fairly seedy hotel, I woke up early to check out of there and hit the city! I spent the morning having breakfast with an American couple who were biking through the Mekong Delta region. They were SO refreshing after the constant throng of Europeans, just so much more down to earth. And they were even Northwesterners! So on that high, I moved onto the next which was morning mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral. AMAZING. Filled with faithful from all walks, it was incredible to be in a place where He was openly exalted. My first in months and I had no idea how I missed it. The whole morning was so beautiful, I couldn't leave! I stayed in the pew until they kicked me out (which I still think there should be some kind of rule against, what happened to sanctuary?)
The afternoon was an extreme test of my mind and stomach. I visit the Reunification Palace and the War Remnent Museum - both tributes to Vietnam and the American Invasion(as they called it). It was really eye opening for me to see the war from the "other side". Granted, the propoganda was blatant and should have been taken as so, but the facts of that time remain the same. And the lasting effects, Agent Orange and others, are visible in the people here. It is hard to put into words how I felt, being somewhere where my people are looked at as enemies, and seeing how the rest of the world viewed us at that time. It really made me question how we will remember the Iraq War, and the last few years of American history. What will we say, and what will they say? It also amazed me, how warm the Veitnamese were too me, and how they have forgiven what they lived through. I am still wondering how to put into words that experience.
We spent the night laughing away with some soccer players we met in Backpackers Alley - a "confident" Kenyan and a delightful Jamacian/American who tested our football knowledge, as well as our gender differences ;o)

Veitnam - D6
The Day of Frenchie. Graham had heard about some work that was happening in the city, so through various connections we were picked up from our hotel Monday morning by Frenchie, the code name for the French Laotian who is leading the work there. After a thrilling motop ride through the city (you haven't lived til you have straddled a Saigonese stranger in a skirt) we arrived in the outskirts of town to his home, where Jessica & I got to coo over his baby, and we all heard about the movement in Vietnam. Frenchie spoiled us with stories and lunch, he was hilarious if you want the truth. Then we spent the afternoon in the hotel they rent out to teach the country kids English and then where they come together to worship. I can't share much with you - just that they have a huge ministry with the poor children of the city, many who have come to know the Father and have gone on to a better life because of it. They have to work under even more "delicate" conditions than many others and have thrived - please keep them in your thoughts.

Vietnam - D7
Jessica & I booked a 2 day-overnight boat tour through the Mekong Delta as our route to Cambodia. It ended up being an excellent decision, despite the significant dent in our pocket books. Our "family" was led by Thai, the fearless Veitnamese Island Boy, and we spent the morning touring various island communities in the Mekong Delta. We took little boats powered by the intense muscles of a young woman who only hit Jessica in the head twice with her oars! And yes...there were triangle hats...I would say the highlight was coconut island, where we could sample various coconutty goodies to our hearts content. The horrific occurance that met us on this trip though, was a shot of Snake Liquor. Lets just say, we drank from a jar consisting of 50% proof alcohol, dead cobras, and a fully-feathered crow. Not my, or my stomachs, finest moment...but when in Veitnam!
The night was spent on this amazing boat with the most incredible beds - I have never slept so well. But it was great - we saw the sunset, had political conversatoins with Kenyo & Monique (the people who brought the Dutch back to me!) and learned to play Yatzhee German style (Hershoc!)

Veitnam/Cambodia - D8
Father Thai soon lost his magical luster when he woke us up at 5:00 am to see the sunrise in Chau Doc harbor...but it was a beautiful sight. The rest of the day was uneventful, Thai said "bye bye you" and we went from boat to boat - border to border - and suddenly we were in Cambodia! The naked island children were a sure indication. We glided up the river, soaking up the sun and the new scenery. But all good things must come to an end. The rest of the day was a virtual disater! Phenm Penh Synopsis: cramped/smelly bus ride - overpriced/mosquito infested guesthouse - accosting by cracked-out old Dutch poet. I will spare you and my memory the details. Needless to say we were on the first bus to the beach and Mama T in the morning!

Cambodia - D9
Hitching the early bus out of town, Jessica and I were headed to Sihanoukville, Cambodia's only beach resort. After missing the white sands and crystal ocean in Veitnam, it was time for us to be beach bunnies for a few days. Sarah (our fourth) was already here, so she convinced us to add it to the iteneray. We definitely made the right decision! We are on the most beautiful beach! This town is fairly laid back, not much night life, just people relaxing their way through the days. (Granted, their relaxation is highly due to the "happy" cuisine most are partaking in, but there are a few who are coherant for the stay) We have Bungalows not 3 minutes off the sand and as soon as we could drop our bags, we were there! Pleasant surprise - we had been on the beach for maybe a minute when I ran into Dan, a fellow Shiyan teacher who found his intended visit to Veitnam lacking and made his way to the beach. Small worlds get smaller! So it was wonderful catching up this him, it made us both think about the highs and lows of Shiyan life (Highs - the Chinese, Lows - no beach access). That night the four of us spent the night on the beach in papsan chairs, happily taking in the night breeze, crazy westerners making fools of themselves, and the cheap cuisine. Loving it...

Cambodia - D10
Which brings us to today. Not much can be said - morning, noon, and night on the beach. Lobster-like sunburns, wave surfing, beach volleyball, banana boat rides, tongue twisting pineapples, ice coffee and the constant presence of children trying to sell everything from bracelets to leg shavings. They keep walking up to me and telling me I have hairy legs! Not the quickest way to earn business kid! We keep telling them we don't buy from kids who don't go to school, hoping the lack of business will encourage their parents to pull them from the sand and give them more of an opportunity at something greater. I have been fairly put off by their sales methodologies as well, guilt and constant annoyance do not work well with westerners!
Tonight holds various beach parties, promising everything from glow-in-the dark disco to free t-shirts. The night life here is pretty dead, but we are interested to see what a Friday night can hold. We are really just itching to hit the dance floor! But early to bed for us, cause we have a 7:00 am date with some snorkeling gear!

Will try to keep writing, just know that I am safe (always careful!) and loving every minute for this whirlwind experience! Please keep a boy named Jeremy in your thoughts - he is a fellow teacher who was trampled by an elephant in Southern China over the festival. He is in critical condition, and keeps moving in and out of danger. May the great Father show is wonders!

A Song Played On A Solo Saxophone

If you have been watching the news, the reason you have not seen 3 foreigners protesting at the Vietnam border is that China finally released its vice grip on us and we crossed the border on Wednesday afternoon - so after almost a week of traveling, I finally entered Veitnam! What the next few days held could only be described as a whirlwind and I apologize now for the probable length of this choronicle. Please remember, I blog not only for your reading enjoyment, but for the sake of my own poor and failing memory!

Vietnam - D1
First Stop - Pho! Not 30 minutes over the border we stopped at a roadside cafe for our first authentic Vietnamese Pho! Jessica and I were estatic, and Graham was quickly won to our side. Pho is basically top ramen, but with overwhelming amounts of cilantro and basil - delectable. With happy bellys, we climbed aboard again. We arrived in Hanoi midafternoon, a city known for its European-like quarters and its (supposedly) wide streets. We quickly decided that whatever we were looking for, Hanoi was not it, so we decided to leave that evening for Hue. With a few hours to kill, we washed the grime of China off our bodies and hit the streets. It didn't take us long to discover that if we stayed in Hanoi we would either be run over or go broke! So after a nutritious dinner of Mint gelato and Vietnamese donuts (I know...) we caught the overnight sleeper bus to Hue. I am linking these sleeper buses to what we will probably be traveling to the moon in some day, little pods for your feet, lined up in pretty little rows like sardines. Close quarters, but an excellent place to meet new friends with delicious accents. The ride was wretchedly bumpy at best - but nothing 2 Nyquill couldn't cure!

Vietnam - D2
At the first pit stop of the morning, Jessica & Graham were shanghaied into a tour of some underground tunnels that required them to stay a day behind. They ended up being worth it to them, but I had been in the cold and wet for too long and was headed SOUTH to warmth! So we parted ways, and I headed to Hue to catch yet ANOTHER lovely bus (notice a pattern develops quickly). I had a few hours to kill in Hue, which I spent exploring Veitnam's equivelent of Beijing's Forbidden City (which even shares the name). I rode a tut-tut, nearly fell in a lake, and learned that according to ancient customs, goats have the ability to predict the fertility of a woman! Hue still didn't have the special something I was looking for, so I put that city behind me to take another 3 hour trip to Hoi An. I arrived late and without much of a glance at the city, hit the hotel. Only the joy of finding BBC News on the television (my first english news program in 5 months!) kept my eyes open for long.
***Note: It may seem that I am flying through Vietnam - truthfully I am! Am supposed to meet Sarah in Phenom Phen on Monday morning, which because of border troubles left less than a week in the country. Was sad about this at first, but am finding that the other countries are probably more my style of vacation. I am less about European shopping and more about elephant riding!

Vietnam - D3
I woke up early to take a tour out to My Son. My Son is the Vietnamese Angkor Wat, a religious site that was the center of their worship culture. Sadly, the American B52's obliterated it so all that is left is moss covered relics. It was raining, and we treked out into the jungle along carefully laid pathes (so as not to meet the same fate as the dogs that followed us around - they were missing limbs from wandering into mines). Say what you will about Americans, but no one can say were are not thorough! There was not much to see, but our guide had lots of interesting information for us. Like the fact that because Galileo was a few thousand years too late in recognizing the earth was round, all religious monoments that represent women were flat squares (women = mother = earth = flat = square). Our guide felt the need to share with us that of all the women he had seen, and he had seen a lot (!), he had never seen a woman who had a square...and if only the original architects had consulted him, he would have set them straight. Yeah, he loved to share!
I headed back to town to meet Jessica & Graham, who had traveled the Hoi An that morning and we bicycled out to nearby Cham Nam Island. It was a little terrifying manuevering those things through town, and I was significantly out of practice, but as soon as we hit the island it was wonderful! It was raining, and we sang rain-themed showtunes like complete loons - it was the first time I felt like I was really on vacation. We hit a local restuarant, far away from the tourist district and ate mixed mess (Vietnamese specialty of various vegetable).
Biking back through town, we entered into the old quarter, which is basically just street after street of shops, most of which are tailors (Hoi An is known for its clothing, they make it to your size exactly in one day guarantee - sweatshop central). Jessica & I mused about the excessive spending habits of these Europeans, spending thousands of dollars on tailor made clothing items. We stopped at one store to admire a dress and we were goners. Turns out those Europeons knew what they were doing - designer dresses made to your size for $20 American dollars! I am ashamed to say I could not help myself...I splurged on 2 dresses, and Jessica & Graham had some clothes made as well. We plan on celebrating our last days on the beach in Thailand in them with Mama T.
I ended up being a big fan of Hoi An after all - I like the french feel of the small city streets and it was just crowded enough to hold interesting company. Sadly, I didn't have enough on the agenda to keep me for another day so after some banana shakes at Retreats, I bordered yet another overnight bus - headed straight for Saigon (24 hours!)

Veitnam - D4
Woke up to a lady telling me to get off the bus. We had arrived in Nha Trang, a stopping point for a number of people who were headed for beaches, but everyone who was carrying through to Saigon had to check in at the counter. No problem, so I cleared the sleepies and got off the bus...
Enter another episode of: This Could Only Happen to Jessica
So the night before the entire bus was in a bit of emergency. We had run out of gas, and the bathroom on the bus was broken. When we finally recieved some petroel, we stopped at a gas station and nearly everyone rushed off the bus to the two stalls at the cafe. We only had 10 minutes, and in my hurry I had forgotten my handy-dandy package of paper. So...get to the bathroom, and of course there is none. I reached into my pockets (in the dark mind you), looking for anything that is paperlike ***Note: I share this storY with you for a variety of reasons. The first is that apparently I have no shame, and the second is that these sort of things that happen when you are a traveler can be appreciated by all and understood by any others who have been in similar predicaments. The third is that if we are not close now, we will be after this!*** and finding something that fit the requirements, I did what any girl must do. Come to find out this morning, when I was digging through my pockets for my ticket to Saigon, that one shoud choose more carefully when looking for toilet paper subliments! SO, Jessica got delayed 2 hours, and Jessica got to pay 8 American dollars, because Jessica used her bus ticket as toilet paper. Well done.
Despite that disappointment, the day on the bus was quite pleasant. The weather was beautiful, and we spent the whole day along the coast. Sand dunes, blue water, palm trees...good conversation with witty Englishman that almost led to a detour in Mui Ne! But Sarah owes me big time, because I was a good girl and stayed on the bus in an effort to get to her (and I do mean big time!). So I have arrived in Ho Chi Minh city (bka Saigon), and will be crashing shortly. Tomorrow promises a tour around the city of various Vietnam/American war sites, and hopefully a chance to go out to the tunnels where Veitnamese soldiers spent years hiding underground. The closet history buff in me is loving this, and the travelers around me who are more interested in shopping and western food are finding me quite strange! Tomorrow evening Jessica & Graham will arrive in Saigon (because of the early seperation, they have been continually behind me one day), and Monday we will spend the day with some workers here in the city, looking at the way they are serving the Father here and helping out any way we can. Originally I was going to miss out on this part of the trip, but I am excited to get to see how these servants are MNSTRNG here! Tuesday morning Jessica & myself (and possibly Graham?) will take a tour up the Mekong Delta into Cambodia, and another stamp in the passport for me! PRYRS, please, that I do not have a repeat border crossing experience!

Thoughts on Veitnam:
*THE COFFEE - AMAZING. I can't descibe it, I can only say that its so strong it bites and at the same time its smooth and sweet. I have been drinking at least 3 cups a day and am not looking forward to leaving it behind...
*Have found surprising comfort in signs with letters in them again...even though I cannot read them, its a little like going home
*Had such severe culture shock when we arrived in Hanoi and was completely surrounded by white faces! Europeans, Canadaians, Australians, Americans everywhere! I couldn't even remember how to talk to them and have found myself inadvertently speaking with a mix of their accents each time I open my mouth. Have horrible fear that they believe I am a ridiculous American mocking them on purpose, but it cannot be helped.
*So far, Veitnam has the most beautiful countryside of any place I have ever been. We have seen mountians, jungles, coasts and deserts all in this small strip of land. The architecture is liken broken Mexico, but the vibrant colors are so refreshing compared to grey China. I have actually enjoyed the multiple, exponential hours on the bus, just staring out the window admiring his handiwork.
*Its easy to imagine this beautiful place teeming with soldiers and warfare. There are makeshift cemetaries everywhere and they are still rebuilding each day from the destruction of bombs 30 some years ago. I am anxious to learn more about this countries history, and at the same time preparing myself to face even more earth-shattering history in Cambodian. Its a little difficult to balanace these facts with the idea of a "vacation"
*All in all, I actually am looking forward to leaving this country for the next. I have made most of this journey alone, in which I discovered the joy of meeting new people, but also the frustration of enjoyment that fits my ideas of appropriate. I am ready to get to Sarah in Ho Chi Minh! Veitnam is also a popular vacation spot for Europeans, and its been a bit too touristy for my taste. I am ready to spend less money, fight fewer crowds, and enjoy more of a relaxed, adventerous trek. Next time I post, you will be hearing of Angkor Wat and Elephant treks!

THS (The Terminal) - "You No Go Vietnam!"

"You no go Vietnam!" These words will revirbirate through my mind with a giggle and a shudder for the rest of my life. These were the words spoken forcefully to me by the border guard at the South Chinese border crossing today...witness a day in the life of Tom Hanks...
Backstory:
Nanning is the largest city north of the Veitnamese border where foreigners can secure passports, other than that its only claim to fame is dog hotpot and the largest brass drum collection in the world. I have been in Nanning since Saturday evening, waiting for Monday morning to come so Jessica, Graham and I could go to the consulate. We got up bright and early Monday morning, found the consolute with our newly aquired Spanish grandmother Rosa, and applied for our visas. We were told we could pick them up that afternoon! Exciting, only one more day in China! So we bought bustickets to Hanoi, Vietnam for first thing Tuesday mornings. Visas check, bus tickets check, happy foreigners check check.
Main Plot:
We caught the bus this morning, delighted to be on our way with everything going so smoothly. The scenery to the border was beautiful and we were even given lotus & mixed bean congee (congealed soup that smells of stale communion bread) on the bus. We arrived at the border to a near empty crossing, and I approached the passport checker with happiness radiating from my heart, thinking of the land of warmth and magical coconut drinks on the other side, when I heard it..."You No Go Vietnam!"
Heart stop beating, rage clouding all judgement, highly-illegial border jumping scenerios crossing mind! Shenme??? What do you mean...no...go vietnam? Have visa! Have golden ticket! Ting Bu Dong!
Come to find out, the amazingly talented staff at the Vietnamese consulate have put the followin entry date on a number of passports yesterday, 20/02/2008, a computer glitch caught by some but not by the distributors of Jessica, Graham or my visa. Goodbye Veitnam, hello 8 hour wait at the Chinese border crossing.
Long explanation short:China can't let us out, Veitnam won't let us in. No phone calls or faxes from the Nanning consulate can fix. So Graham, being the chivalrous gentleman that he was, went all the way back to Nanning (3.5 hour bus ride) to have our visas corrected. There was hope that he could be back in time for the border closing so we could cross tonight, but the Veitnamese consulates idea of "full reimbursement and transportation back to the border" turned out to be 200 rmb and some maps. So Graham is stuck in Nanning for the night. A few games of Phase Diez (which turned out to be the awesome game I predicted) and border guard pengyoumen later, Jessica and I were escorted by Communist officials to the nearby town of Pinxiang for a night in what appears to be an abandonded brothel/haunted house. Highlights have been witnessing blackmarket Vietnamese visa transactions by our escorts (to which we said, "I thought we were friends!"), congee video diaries, and mystery vegetables. Needless to say, if Jessica and I make it through the night, we are out of here as soon as possible!
Alternate Endings:
According to Xiansheng Fan, we are to meet the bus "letter" at "hui" thirty in the morning to get back to the border. If all goes according to plan we will meet Graham at 11:30 (and shower him with appreciative hugs) and be in Veitnam by noon with annotated visas. My frostbitten toes and dirty hair will be grateful. If you see a post from me soon, you will know I outran Stanley Tucci...If you not, figure I am permenant limbo because Krakozhia is no more.
Sequel?

Nanning

Update: Am in Nanning...its hot and boring...and they eat dog here...

Jessica & Graham will arrive tomorrow, until then I will be at Chao Fang Fandian, watching Chinese cartoons and reading my wares from the Foreign Language bookstore! Because the consulate is not open on Saturday or Sunday, the three of us will probably not get our visas for Veitnam until Tuesday or even Wednesday. Please lift up Sarah, as she is trying to work out a way to get down here to meet us. Travling in China is nothing short of evil during Spring Festival, and she is having difficulties figuring out how to get out of the country on a dollar she can afford!

On a side note just for Angelyn...its official. Wuchang is the 5th circle of hell! Words cannot do justice crawling through the construction, mudholes, and spring festival travelers in freezing sleet with a broken umbrella for 45 minutes. Was almost run over by a bus. Lets just say that January 11th will forever be remembered as the day I severly voilated the principles of jovial January and felt vindicated for every second that I didn't eat sugar. Totally worth it!