"I have always believed that in the lives of individuals, just as in society at large, the profoundest changes take place within a very reduced time frame. When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready.
The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny."
-Paulo Coehlo
I can't help but think that this quote is quite fitting for my life as of late. In the past 2 weeks I have experienced some major life changes. I won't go into details over the net, but I can say that I haven't had such a crazy past couple of weeks in a long time!
I just arrived in Guatemala City last night. I will be teaching English here for the next 6 months at least. I interviewed for the job two Fridays ago, found out I got the job on the following Tuesday, which gave me a week to get my act together and get on a plane. The time has gone by so quickly. I'm so thankful that I have been blessed with friends that are so good to me!
So yeah, that's where I'm at for now. I will fill everyone in as I know more. I am headed to school this afternoon to meet everyone and start training. I start teaching on Monday. I will be moved into my own place on Sunday.
I'm not really sure what to expect, so I'm trying not to expect anything. No matter what happens, I'm sure it will be an adventure!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Monday, December 1, 2008
Ode to the Onion...
...by Pablo Neruda
Onion,
luminous flask,
your beauty formed
petal by petal,
crystal scales expanded you
and in the secrecy of the dark earth
your belly grew round with dew.
Under the earth
the miracle
happened
and when your clumsy
green stem appeared,
and your leaves were born
like swords
in the garden,
the earth heaped up her power
showing your naked transparency,
and as the remote sea
in lifting the breasts of Aphrodite
duplicating the magnolia,
so did the earth
make you,
onion
clear as a planet
and destined
to shine,
constant constellation,
round rose of water,
upon
the table
of the poor.
You make us cry without hurting us.
I have praised everything that exists,
but to me, onion, you are
more beautiful than a bird
of dazzling feathers,
heavenly globe, platinum goblet,
unmoving dance
of the snowy anemone
and the fragrance of the earth lives
in your crystalline nature.
well, the level of my onion admiration isn't quite as intense as Neruda's, but it is definitely increasing. I am using onions in my cooking now and eating food even though i know there is onion in it. For those of you who know me well, this is a really big deal. Just thought I'd share.
p.s.- i'm also eating mushrooms now, too!
luminous flask,
your beauty formed
petal by petal,
crystal scales expanded you
and in the secrecy of the dark earth
your belly grew round with dew.
Under the earth
the miracle
happened
and when your clumsy
green stem appeared,
and your leaves were born
like swords
in the garden,
the earth heaped up her power
showing your naked transparency,
and as the remote sea
in lifting the breasts of Aphrodite
duplicating the magnolia,
so did the earth
make you,
onion
clear as a planet
and destined
to shine,
constant constellation,
round rose of water,
upon
the table
of the poor.
You make us cry without hurting us.
I have praised everything that exists,
but to me, onion, you are
more beautiful than a bird
of dazzling feathers,
heavenly globe, platinum goblet,
unmoving dance
of the snowy anemone
and the fragrance of the earth lives
in your crystalline nature.
well, the level of my onion admiration isn't quite as intense as Neruda's, but it is definitely increasing. I am using onions in my cooking now and eating food even though i know there is onion in it. For those of you who know me well, this is a really big deal. Just thought I'd share.
p.s.- i'm also eating mushrooms now, too!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
knotty knotty
I've been meaning to put up pics of the dreads for a while now. It's been about 9 and a half months since I started the whole dread process and I love them more every day!
Day one: Feb 8, 2008. Thank you to Morgan who spent all day working on them for me!!
Day 2: Feb 9, 2008. I think Morgan probably put in about ten hours of work that weekend. Also, thanks to Jinny for coming over to help too!
A long weekend of work, finished! Let's see what happens...
A few days later after the first wash... still looks like curls to me.
Sometime in April in Laos. The shell is an addition I found on the beach in Thailand.
May in Cambodia.
July in Korea. My hair keeps getting shorter and shorter!
Nine months has gone by...November 8, 2008.
Day one: Feb 8, 2008. Thank you to Morgan who spent all day working on them for me!!
Day 2: Feb 9, 2008. I think Morgan probably put in about ten hours of work that weekend. Also, thanks to Jinny for coming over to help too!
A long weekend of work, finished! Let's see what happens...
A few days later after the first wash... still looks like curls to me.
Sometime in April in Laos. The shell is an addition I found on the beach in Thailand.
May in Cambodia.
July in Korea. My hair keeps getting shorter and shorter!
Nine months has gone by...November 8, 2008.Tuesday, November 18, 2008
worth a thousand words...vietnam
A woman selling fruit on an early morning in Hanoi.
Children coming to investigate the foreigners that wondered into their village.
Happy Buddha! The belly button of this statue also serves as a window to the room inside of Buddha's belly. How can you not smile when you see this image? I love it! I do believe that the "Halo" behind him lights up at night although I've never seen it. 
A rain shower rolls over the lake as the sun starts its descent into the horizon.
Worship.
A family plants rice together. The men poke holes in the ground with bamboo sticks and the women drop rice in. The families plant all over the mountainous terrain.
Caught in the rain outside of Hoi An.
I just had to leave you all with an image that makes you smile!
Cheers!
i forgot just how good Wisconsin cheese tastes...
"Attack! Attack!" the little girl screams as she chases her fellow 3 year old classmates across the playground. As I was walking past the YWCA on a beautiful autumn day, I realized how weird it is to actually understand what kids are saying as they play. I've spent the past year, while teaching in Korea, having kids play in my classroom and never understanding the hilarious things they were probably saying! I'm actually kinda bummed that I missed out on that part of teaching kindergarten. The old mantra rings true, "kids say the darnedest things!"
That being said, I've made it back to Wisconsin. I've been back for about 6 weeks now. The time has flown by as I've been busy reuniting with family and friends. I also started working a week after I got home. I got hired back at the restaurant I used to work at, so I'm fortunate that I didn't have to search for employment. My boss at the gym I used to work at was also really excited to have me back, but because I do not have a car I couldn't commit to a job 2o mins away by freeway. I can't hitchhike here like I could in Hawaii! I'm living close to the bus stop so luckily I can jump on one of the city's 6 buses and get to work that way. Being gone for so long made me forget how reliant people are on vehicles around here. Except for grocery shopping, it is so much more convenient to just hop on a bus or the subway and get where you are going. I liked not having to pay for gas or deal with traffic!
I've been going through my moments of reverse culture shock. At first they were moments that brought a smile to my face as I remembered what things I like about living in Wisconsin and being back in the United States. However, as of late, my moments of culture shock leave me a bit depressed and disappointed. My stomach growls as I crave newly discovered foods of other lands. I smile and nod as I talk to people I encounter, rejoicing when someone actually offers up semi-intellectually stimulating topic to chat about. It's as though my brain has been floating through a ton of beautiful information and then all of a sudden that beautiful information dissipates and bam! the brain is on the floor, cold and alone... haha, that may be an exaggeration, but I'm struggling to keep my mind curious.
At the moment I am craving the unhurried, yet passionate, pace of Hawaii and the beautiful people that live there. And although I am insanely jealous that Alexis and Morgan are continuing their travels without me, I am confident that I made the right decision by deciding to make a stop in Hawaii. It was a last minute, spur of the moment idea to visit my cousin Liz in Hawaii. My stay in Hawaii rocked my world and I wouldn't trade that time for anything else in the world!
I have, however, been enjoying the comforts of living in an apartment again. It has given me the chance to experiment with cooking! I got a food processor and have been busy trying out new foods. I've really enjoyed making hummus and fresh fruit smoothies. I found a cute little organic food shop that supports as much local agriculture and food production as it can. I try to buy whatever I need to there. This is the one store that has managed to help me on my quest to quench some of my newly acquired cravings. It has my 5 minute Indian meals that I love and kimchi too! Plus, a few other things I've grown to enjoy like seaweed salad, kombucha, and tahini! I am happy this store is only a few blocks away!
Anyway, so far my time spent home has been a wave of emotions, both good and bad. I am thankful for all my wonderful family and friends. Northern Wisconsin definitely is a "culture" of its own and deserves to be experienced by all. I am happy to "be here now" but am looking forward to my time of exploration once again.
That being said, I've made it back to Wisconsin. I've been back for about 6 weeks now. The time has flown by as I've been busy reuniting with family and friends. I also started working a week after I got home. I got hired back at the restaurant I used to work at, so I'm fortunate that I didn't have to search for employment. My boss at the gym I used to work at was also really excited to have me back, but because I do not have a car I couldn't commit to a job 2o mins away by freeway. I can't hitchhike here like I could in Hawaii! I'm living close to the bus stop so luckily I can jump on one of the city's 6 buses and get to work that way. Being gone for so long made me forget how reliant people are on vehicles around here. Except for grocery shopping, it is so much more convenient to just hop on a bus or the subway and get where you are going. I liked not having to pay for gas or deal with traffic!
I've been going through my moments of reverse culture shock. At first they were moments that brought a smile to my face as I remembered what things I like about living in Wisconsin and being back in the United States. However, as of late, my moments of culture shock leave me a bit depressed and disappointed. My stomach growls as I crave newly discovered foods of other lands. I smile and nod as I talk to people I encounter, rejoicing when someone actually offers up semi-intellectually stimulating topic to chat about. It's as though my brain has been floating through a ton of beautiful information and then all of a sudden that beautiful information dissipates and bam! the brain is on the floor, cold and alone... haha, that may be an exaggeration, but I'm struggling to keep my mind curious.
At the moment I am craving the unhurried, yet passionate, pace of Hawaii and the beautiful people that live there. And although I am insanely jealous that Alexis and Morgan are continuing their travels without me, I am confident that I made the right decision by deciding to make a stop in Hawaii. It was a last minute, spur of the moment idea to visit my cousin Liz in Hawaii. My stay in Hawaii rocked my world and I wouldn't trade that time for anything else in the world!
I have, however, been enjoying the comforts of living in an apartment again. It has given me the chance to experiment with cooking! I got a food processor and have been busy trying out new foods. I've really enjoyed making hummus and fresh fruit smoothies. I found a cute little organic food shop that supports as much local agriculture and food production as it can. I try to buy whatever I need to there. This is the one store that has managed to help me on my quest to quench some of my newly acquired cravings. It has my 5 minute Indian meals that I love and kimchi too! Plus, a few other things I've grown to enjoy like seaweed salad, kombucha, and tahini! I am happy this store is only a few blocks away!
Anyway, so far my time spent home has been a wave of emotions, both good and bad. I am thankful for all my wonderful family and friends. Northern Wisconsin definitely is a "culture" of its own and deserves to be experienced by all. I am happy to "be here now" but am looking forward to my time of exploration once again.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
beware creeping efficiency
Hawaii has been good for me. It has forced me to become silent and be still. I've realized how easy it is to forget the importance of stillness.
I'm living atop a waterfall, surrounded by guava and mac nut trees; the town of Hilo four miles below me. I'm staying with a cousin. I have no vehicle, no computer or phone. She has no tv or radio- so I'm not exaggerating when i say life is pretty quiet where I'm at! I have spent most of my days alone the past few weeks, minus an occasional excursion, while she is working. I wake up, enjoy a cup of coffee on the porch, read, do some yoga, garden, read some more, listen to music, go off to the waterfall...the first few days of this were hard for me because I always felt the need to be doing something. Now, however, I've adjusted just fine and I am loving this slower pace of life.
I'm learning to let go of feeling like all my days have to be planned. Because I have no phone or transportation, I go where people take me. I'm open to anything the day or night might bring me. So far, so good; everything seems to work out.
It's been about 20 months since I've been home. Hawaii is my first stop back in the USA (although Hawaii is still nothing like the mainland.) I went into my first real "American" grocery store in 20 months. I stepped into a Wal-Mart(not by choice, but lack of options) and consumerism slapped me in the face. I can read all the signs around me and I can actually understand what people around me are saying on the bus! Coming to Hawaii has put me halfway into a state of culture shock; although I know the other half will hit me once I get home. Staying atop the falls and chilling out has been a good time for me to process my experiences traveling and to give my body a time to rest. Packing your backpack up and moving around every couple days is harder than you think!
I've been here 3 weeks today. I spent my first two weeks resting and have gone on some interesting adventures in the last week. I will tell those stories on the next blog. For now, I just want to remind everyone to take some time to yourself and rest. I will leave you with this poem by Paul Williams, from the book, Das Energi.
I'm living atop a waterfall, surrounded by guava and mac nut trees; the town of Hilo four miles below me. I'm staying with a cousin. I have no vehicle, no computer or phone. She has no tv or radio- so I'm not exaggerating when i say life is pretty quiet where I'm at! I have spent most of my days alone the past few weeks, minus an occasional excursion, while she is working. I wake up, enjoy a cup of coffee on the porch, read, do some yoga, garden, read some more, listen to music, go off to the waterfall...the first few days of this were hard for me because I always felt the need to be doing something. Now, however, I've adjusted just fine and I am loving this slower pace of life.
I'm learning to let go of feeling like all my days have to be planned. Because I have no phone or transportation, I go where people take me. I'm open to anything the day or night might bring me. So far, so good; everything seems to work out.
It's been about 20 months since I've been home. Hawaii is my first stop back in the USA (although Hawaii is still nothing like the mainland.) I went into my first real "American" grocery store in 20 months. I stepped into a Wal-Mart(not by choice, but lack of options) and consumerism slapped me in the face. I can read all the signs around me and I can actually understand what people around me are saying on the bus! Coming to Hawaii has put me halfway into a state of culture shock; although I know the other half will hit me once I get home. Staying atop the falls and chilling out has been a good time for me to process my experiences traveling and to give my body a time to rest. Packing your backpack up and moving around every couple days is harder than you think!
I've been here 3 weeks today. I spent my first two weeks resting and have gone on some interesting adventures in the last week. I will tell those stories on the next blog. For now, I just want to remind everyone to take some time to yourself and rest. I will leave you with this poem by Paul Williams, from the book, Das Energi.
What is this word "efficiency"?
Sometimes it seems a close cousin to Death.
We are encouraged not to linger, not to enjoy life,
to hurry up and get it done so we'll have time
for something else.
Something else?
What?
Efficiency the destroyer, millions upon millions of
living dead, done in by the electric can-opener
and the automobile.
Progress is our most important product,
babies are our business,
time is money,
life is cheap.
Modern technology, modern business, the modern state
give us everything we need
except breathable air, drinkable water, edible food,
meaningful work, freedom from fear, freedom to love,
freedom to be ourselves, courage, pride, friendship,
hope.
The moral of the story is: don't be in such a hurry.
Beware creeping efficiency.
Slow down and live.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
aloha
hey everyone! just wanted to give everyone a quick update... after a whirlwind two months of planning and running a summer camp in seoul, i am off again! my plan was to continue traveling with Morgan and Alexis, but my lack of money stopped that one. I am now off to Hawaii for a bit to check out the scene there and stay with a cousin. If I like what I find, it might possibly be my next place of residency for a year or so! So...if anyone has any good connections for me in Hawaii, send them my way! =o)
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