Living in Korea is something of a rollercoaster for me sometimes. This week was not one of the best. The weather was miserable all week, the classes were slow and long, and overall, it just wasn't a bright point. So you've been forewarned, this is not the cheeriest post. But, it is my life right now. So, take it as you will.
The middle school had their midterms last week, though I didn't find out about it until Thursday, when I mentioned to my high school coteacher that I hadn't had classes on Wednesday. She told me then that the middle school was having midterms this week and that everyone went home at 12. Well that would've been nice to know. Especially since Tuesday, the day before I go to the middle school I asked her if she knew when they were having their tests. She told me she did not know. Anyway, instead of at least getting to take advantage of leaving early on Friday, I am told that the students are taking some sort of writing test after the finish their midterms. They failed to mention that I could go home as soon as I was "done with my work". Except I do all my work at home so... I was done when I walked in at 9 but stayed until 3:30. Ah well. So this week the high school had their midterms Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Since I am at the middle school Wednesday and Friday, that doesn't do me a lot of good but I did get to go home at 12 yesterday so that was nice. I spent the day curled up with my cat reading and listening to the rain.
But, the weekend is here again, and the sun is shining so it's time to turn it around. Last weekend was busy, I spent Friday night in Pohang, Saturday I woke up at 6:30 to take the 3 hour bus at 7:30 to Daejeon, then I jumped on a 2 hour bus to Daegu to try and make the soccer game. I caught about the last 30 minutes but was told I didn't miss much. Pohang lost, again. I have yet to see them win a game this season. Then all of the Pohangers went out in Daegu for a night on the town, and it was lunch at Travellers, a western bar and restaurant in Daegu, and then the bus home. So I think this weekend I'll just lay low and mosy around Pohang a bit.
In other news, tomorrow marks 4 months until I am home. Some days this is all that gets me through the moments. But most of the time, it makes me sad. I feel like the end is sneaking up on me and I know that I'm going to miss this place when I'm gone. More importantly, I'm going to miss the people. I have met so many amazing people here but even after 8 months, I can't shake the feeling of transience. Especially with my departure looming. I know 4 months is a long time and a lot can happen, but it's always there, in the shadows, mocking me. And other people are leaving before that. Jerome, the guy I met that is from Orlando and lives in Yeongdeok with Mark and I, is leaving at the end of July and lots of other people are leaving in June or July. With Jerome, it's not so hard because I know I will see him at home. It's comforting actually. It's like I get to take a piece of Korea home with me in more than just souvenirs or memories. But most of the people I meet here I will likely never see again, or won't see for a long time in the best cases. I know I've made a post similar to this before, but it's been weighing on my mind this week and is probably part of the reason my mood has been less than stellar. At home, when you met someone, time usually wasn't an issue. But here I feel like every person I meet has an hourglass above their head and if I don't get to know them, don't become a part of their life quickly enough, I will never have the chance. And that is scary. And unfortunate. Because there are some really incredible people here that, given a bit of time, I feel like I could become really close with. But, the days tick away and life moves on, whether the connections are made or not.
Anyway, sorry for the dark cloud of a post. Hopefully my weekend will be filled with sun and beach and laughter and all around good cheer. Hoping this finds you happy and well.
♥
Friday, May 4, 2012
Monday, April 30, 2012
What's This?
What's this? What's this? There's flowers everywhere!
What's this? There's petals in the air
What's this? I can't believe my eyes I must be dreaming
Wake up dear, this isn't fair What's this?
What's this? What's this? It's suddenly so warm
What's this? I can finally move my arms? (No jackets, hooray!)
What's this? The streets are lined with Little children laughing
Everybody seems so happy Have I possibly gone daffy? What is this?
What's this?
There are children on the playgrounds and short sleeves all around
They're busy playing soccer, no frost or snowballs to be found!
The windows are all open Oh, I can't believe my eyes
And in my bones I feel the warmth That's coming from inside
Oh, look What's this?
There's buds on every tree Why that looks so unique, inspired
They're growing oh so quickly. They'll be gone in just a blink. What's this? What's this?
And the trees are white with blossoms, how queer And who would ever think
And why? They're selling goldfish on the street And everything that's sweet
And there's a smile on everyone So, now, correct me if I'm wrong
This looks like fun This looks like fun Oh, could it be I got my wish? What's this?
Oh my, what now? The sun is finally out And now, the birds are singing songs
No coats or hats or scarves or gloves I need to keep me warm
Or protect me from the chill, only little cozy things Like sweaters or cardigans
What's this? The rain boots are all missing And the parkas can't be found
And in their place there seems to be Good feeling all around
Instead of chills, I swear I feel the sun upon my hair
The smell of beach and sunscreen Is absolutely almost here
The sights, the sounds They're everywhere and all around I've never felt so good before
This empty place inside of me is filling up I simply cannot get enough
I want it, oh, I want it Oh, I want it for my own
I've got to know I've got to know
What is this place that I have found?
What is this?
Spring time, hmm...
That's right ladies and gentlemen. Spring is here and I am loving this new found season. Florida really needs to get with the program and get one of these. The cherry blossoms were amazing, as anticipated, the weather is great, even when it's not sunny I appreciate that I'm not roasting or freezing, and the colors are unbelievable. Florida just doesn't get colors like this. The color of brand new leaves is the most vivid and happy I have ever seen in my whole life. It is actually impossible to see that color and not be happy. Unfortunately, like the cherry blossoms, the color doesn't last long and quickly matures to the regular boring leaf green. Paints a nice picture huh? haha okay but really. When it follows the vibrancy and sheer joy of the color of life bursting from the the bark, well, it never stood a chance. However, the fade of the green is cue for the dandelions to explode. I walk past this house every morning and they have quite a large front yard area in front of their house with several cherry blossom trees and the ground is just a sea of dandelions. These being my absolute favorite, for the seed heads of course, this adds a nice little pep to my step just before getting to school or right after getting off. And I don't care who you are, if cherry blossoms and dandelions don't make you happy, you have no soul.
Speaking of cherry blossoms, a few weeks ago, I decided it was time to finally break my winter spell of inactivity and start getting outside again. So on Election Day, March 11, which is a National Holiday in Korea, aka no school, a group of people, myself, Mark, and Jerome included, spent the day hiking up Nayeonsan Mountain, home of the Bogyeongsa Temple. We didn't actually see the temple, we were too busy climbing the mountain and then avoiding the rain, but it's not too far away, and I wasn't particularly interested in the temple, so no worries. The hike is a rigorous 20 km to the top with 12 waterfalls along the way. I had been having chest pains for about a week prior to this, accompanied by some difficulty breathing but figured some physical activity might help and do me good but ended up having a bit of trouble. I didn't quite make it all the way to the top, but was only about 5 minutes from it so it was close enough for me. The first five or so km is pretty well maintained with relatively well marked trails and even handrails and ropes to help you climb the really steep parts in some places but once you get to about km number 6 or so, it starts to get much more rough and adventury. Always a good time. Luckily, we had no injuries aside from the sore bodies, which was to be expected. And, despite some rain and an overall lack of sun, it was a great day and it was awesome to get back outside and see some nature.
That same weekend, I headed to Gyeongju with Guido and some others from Pohang to see the cherry blossoms. Gyeongju is known for it's cherry blossoms, particularly around Bomun Lake. It's a man made lake surrounded by few parks, some hotels, and even an amusement park. So we rented bicycles for the day and biked (forever) to and around the lake. It was a bit soon to expect so much out of my back after the hiking on Wednesday, but I made it and it was a gorgeous day filled with beautiful flowers, lots of laughter, and a fabulous time on a bike with great people. I also actually remembered not only to bring my camera but to use it, shock I know, so there are lots of pictures on facebook of the flowers and everything else.
So far spring has brought picnics in the park, soccer games in shorts, hiking, bicycle rides with flowers streaming down like dreamy snow, and a foreigner very grateful to no longer need 3 jackets and a long sleeve shirt and long underwear under pants and two layers of socks in boots plus gloves and a hat and scarf to be almost warm. I'm hoping this weather sticks around for a while and know I will miss it when it's gone, especially since unless I leave Florida, I may never see it for more than a day or two at a time again. I hope you all are having nice weather back home and that the heat hasn't taken hold just yet. I hope the birds' songs lifts your spirits and a flower brings a smile to your face.
Hoping spring is being as good to you as it is to me. ♥
What's this? There's petals in the air
What's this? I can't believe my eyes I must be dreaming
Wake up dear, this isn't fair What's this?
What's this? What's this? It's suddenly so warm
What's this? I can finally move my arms? (No jackets, hooray!)
What's this? The streets are lined with Little children laughing
Everybody seems so happy Have I possibly gone daffy? What is this?
What's this?
There are children on the playgrounds and short sleeves all around
They're busy playing soccer, no frost or snowballs to be found!
The windows are all open Oh, I can't believe my eyes
And in my bones I feel the warmth That's coming from inside
Oh, look What's this?
There's buds on every tree Why that looks so unique, inspired
They're growing oh so quickly. They'll be gone in just a blink. What's this? What's this?
And the trees are white with blossoms, how queer And who would ever think
And why? They're selling goldfish on the street And everything that's sweet
And there's a smile on everyone So, now, correct me if I'm wrong
This looks like fun This looks like fun Oh, could it be I got my wish? What's this?
Oh my, what now? The sun is finally out And now, the birds are singing songs
No coats or hats or scarves or gloves I need to keep me warm
Or protect me from the chill, only little cozy things Like sweaters or cardigans
What's this? The rain boots are all missing And the parkas can't be found
And in their place there seems to be Good feeling all around
Instead of chills, I swear I feel the sun upon my hair
The smell of beach and sunscreen Is absolutely almost here
The sights, the sounds They're everywhere and all around I've never felt so good before
This empty place inside of me is filling up I simply cannot get enough
I want it, oh, I want it Oh, I want it for my own
I've got to know I've got to know
What is this place that I have found?
What is this?
Spring time, hmm...
That's right ladies and gentlemen. Spring is here and I am loving this new found season. Florida really needs to get with the program and get one of these. The cherry blossoms were amazing, as anticipated, the weather is great, even when it's not sunny I appreciate that I'm not roasting or freezing, and the colors are unbelievable. Florida just doesn't get colors like this. The color of brand new leaves is the most vivid and happy I have ever seen in my whole life. It is actually impossible to see that color and not be happy. Unfortunately, like the cherry blossoms, the color doesn't last long and quickly matures to the regular boring leaf green. Paints a nice picture huh? haha okay but really. When it follows the vibrancy and sheer joy of the color of life bursting from the the bark, well, it never stood a chance. However, the fade of the green is cue for the dandelions to explode. I walk past this house every morning and they have quite a large front yard area in front of their house with several cherry blossom trees and the ground is just a sea of dandelions. These being my absolute favorite, for the seed heads of course, this adds a nice little pep to my step just before getting to school or right after getting off. And I don't care who you are, if cherry blossoms and dandelions don't make you happy, you have no soul.
Speaking of cherry blossoms, a few weeks ago, I decided it was time to finally break my winter spell of inactivity and start getting outside again. So on Election Day, March 11, which is a National Holiday in Korea, aka no school, a group of people, myself, Mark, and Jerome included, spent the day hiking up Nayeonsan Mountain, home of the Bogyeongsa Temple. We didn't actually see the temple, we were too busy climbing the mountain and then avoiding the rain, but it's not too far away, and I wasn't particularly interested in the temple, so no worries. The hike is a rigorous 20 km to the top with 12 waterfalls along the way. I had been having chest pains for about a week prior to this, accompanied by some difficulty breathing but figured some physical activity might help and do me good but ended up having a bit of trouble. I didn't quite make it all the way to the top, but was only about 5 minutes from it so it was close enough for me. The first five or so km is pretty well maintained with relatively well marked trails and even handrails and ropes to help you climb the really steep parts in some places but once you get to about km number 6 or so, it starts to get much more rough and adventury. Always a good time. Luckily, we had no injuries aside from the sore bodies, which was to be expected. And, despite some rain and an overall lack of sun, it was a great day and it was awesome to get back outside and see some nature.
That same weekend, I headed to Gyeongju with Guido and some others from Pohang to see the cherry blossoms. Gyeongju is known for it's cherry blossoms, particularly around Bomun Lake. It's a man made lake surrounded by few parks, some hotels, and even an amusement park. So we rented bicycles for the day and biked (forever) to and around the lake. It was a bit soon to expect so much out of my back after the hiking on Wednesday, but I made it and it was a gorgeous day filled with beautiful flowers, lots of laughter, and a fabulous time on a bike with great people. I also actually remembered not only to bring my camera but to use it, shock I know, so there are lots of pictures on facebook of the flowers and everything else.
 |
| Bike ride around Bomun Lake |
Hoping spring is being as good to you as it is to me. ♥
 |
| On the trail on Naeyeonsan Mtn. |
 |
| At a soccer game in Daegu this weekend! Go Pohang Steelers! |
 |
| Fun weekends in Daegu! |
New Seasons, New Students, and the same old Routine
After returning to a freezing Korea, that much colder since I spent the last 2 weeks on a beach, spring could not come soon enough. And it has arrived. February, March and April were pretty quiet, uneventful months. Just waiting for it to warm up enough not to need 8 layers of clothes and trying to get back into the swing of things at work. In Korea, the students go back to school at the beginning of February for one week, then they have two more weeks off, then graduation, one more week off, and then the new school year starts at the beginning of March. I got about 60 new 1st grade middle schoolers and about 30 new 1st grade high schoolers (10th grade) - but I didn't realize I had new middle schoolers until half way through my first class when we were reviewing phrases we learned last year and half of the students didn't know what I was talking about. Oops! So, it was backtrack and rewind time. Followed by a brief introduction and basic hangman instead of review.
So far the rest of the school year has been pretty standard. A few mishaps here and there, usually the result of a lack of coteacher and my girls thinking that meant it was free day and I was wearing my invisible cape. But, nothing too tragic. Midterms were last week for middle school, though I didn't find out until Friday that I was supposed to go home at 12 on Wednesday, not 4. :/ And that after they finished midterms on Friday they had a writing test so I had to stay until "my work was done". Yeah, didn't find that out until I left at 4. I was allowed to leave after lunch if my work was finished. Except oh yeah, it was finished before I even came into work. Oh well. Spent the day writing that novel that was my last post. Then headed to Pohang for the night, Daejeon Saturday morning, Daegu Saturday night, and home Sunday afternoon. It was a great weekend, but long, and not filled with sleep. Think I'll probably be making next weekend a nice relaxed one filled hopefully with lots of sun and beach. :]
In other news, I am still doing taekwondo and tested for my purple belt on Thursday. I will find out if I got it tonight and if I did it will be my 5th belt! Yay! :] (The belts are white, yellow, green, blue, purple, orange, red, red with one black stripe, red with two black stripes, and then black.) So, halfway! But it's like climbing a mountain, the higher you go, the harder it gets. But I will be happy if I can leave here with my red belt. Absolutely thrilled if I could leave with a black stripe. I love it and even though it absolutely kills me some nights and other nights it takes everything I have to put on my dobo and walk to class, I love learning the new sets and skills. And it is absolutely the best feeling to watch myself improve my form and strength. The feeling when I finally nail a set or a certain move is great. There's nothing else like it. And that's what I tell myself when I'm laying down whining to myself about not wanting to get up. haha
I still have my cat, Switch. Although these days it's a wonder I haven't throttled her or thrown her out yet. We've been dealing with her first few real heats and it's been rough. It was one week on, one week off for the first two and it was intense. Like having a colicky infant. Just crying and meowing and yowling incessantly. If my neighbors didn't know I had a cat before, they definitely do now. I'm hoping they slow down a bit and maybe mellow out, at least a little. It makes me not want to be home when she's like that. I can't read or watch a movie or even listen to music because I can't hear anything. And skyping is a real challenge. As soon as someone starts talking (part of the problem with watching movies and music) she takes it as her cue to start in. If I'm quiet she still yowls but it's usually not as loud or incessant. So, hopefully the next time she goes in won't be for a few weeks and it will be easier for both of us. Also, I found someone to take her when I leave!! When I first got her I had every intention of bringing her home to the States with me as I knew I would fall in love with her and wouldn't want to leave her behind. And I was right, I do love her, and I don't want to leave her behind, but I think that this will be best for her and that is what's important. Anyway, it's the same guy that watched her when I went on vacation to the Philippines so I know he'll take good care of her. Also, she loved it there and he has a cat already so she'll have company. It's really good to know that I will be leaving her with someone that will love her as much as I do and will take care of her. That she will be happy and safe. It's definitely still going to be hard saying goodbye, but that's going to be tough anyway. I've met so many amazing people here and made so many awesome friends, but they are from all over the world and while that's really cool to know people all over the world, the reality of it is that that means I won't get to see them often, if ever again, and that's really hard to know. So, for now I'm just focusing on enjoying the rest of my time here and making the most of everyday. And trying not to let any opportunities slip by unnoticed or unexplored.
Hope you are all well back home. Love and miss you. ♥♥
So far the rest of the school year has been pretty standard. A few mishaps here and there, usually the result of a lack of coteacher and my girls thinking that meant it was free day and I was wearing my invisible cape. But, nothing too tragic. Midterms were last week for middle school, though I didn't find out until Friday that I was supposed to go home at 12 on Wednesday, not 4. :/ And that after they finished midterms on Friday they had a writing test so I had to stay until "my work was done". Yeah, didn't find that out until I left at 4. I was allowed to leave after lunch if my work was finished. Except oh yeah, it was finished before I even came into work. Oh well. Spent the day writing that novel that was my last post. Then headed to Pohang for the night, Daejeon Saturday morning, Daegu Saturday night, and home Sunday afternoon. It was a great weekend, but long, and not filled with sleep. Think I'll probably be making next weekend a nice relaxed one filled hopefully with lots of sun and beach. :]
In other news, I am still doing taekwondo and tested for my purple belt on Thursday. I will find out if I got it tonight and if I did it will be my 5th belt! Yay! :] (The belts are white, yellow, green, blue, purple, orange, red, red with one black stripe, red with two black stripes, and then black.) So, halfway! But it's like climbing a mountain, the higher you go, the harder it gets. But I will be happy if I can leave here with my red belt. Absolutely thrilled if I could leave with a black stripe. I love it and even though it absolutely kills me some nights and other nights it takes everything I have to put on my dobo and walk to class, I love learning the new sets and skills. And it is absolutely the best feeling to watch myself improve my form and strength. The feeling when I finally nail a set or a certain move is great. There's nothing else like it. And that's what I tell myself when I'm laying down whining to myself about not wanting to get up. haha
I still have my cat, Switch. Although these days it's a wonder I haven't throttled her or thrown her out yet. We've been dealing with her first few real heats and it's been rough. It was one week on, one week off for the first two and it was intense. Like having a colicky infant. Just crying and meowing and yowling incessantly. If my neighbors didn't know I had a cat before, they definitely do now. I'm hoping they slow down a bit and maybe mellow out, at least a little. It makes me not want to be home when she's like that. I can't read or watch a movie or even listen to music because I can't hear anything. And skyping is a real challenge. As soon as someone starts talking (part of the problem with watching movies and music) she takes it as her cue to start in. If I'm quiet she still yowls but it's usually not as loud or incessant. So, hopefully the next time she goes in won't be for a few weeks and it will be easier for both of us. Also, I found someone to take her when I leave!! When I first got her I had every intention of bringing her home to the States with me as I knew I would fall in love with her and wouldn't want to leave her behind. And I was right, I do love her, and I don't want to leave her behind, but I think that this will be best for her and that is what's important. Anyway, it's the same guy that watched her when I went on vacation to the Philippines so I know he'll take good care of her. Also, she loved it there and he has a cat already so she'll have company. It's really good to know that I will be leaving her with someone that will love her as much as I do and will take care of her. That she will be happy and safe. It's definitely still going to be hard saying goodbye, but that's going to be tough anyway. I've met so many amazing people here and made so many awesome friends, but they are from all over the world and while that's really cool to know people all over the world, the reality of it is that that means I won't get to see them often, if ever again, and that's really hard to know. So, for now I'm just focusing on enjoying the rest of my time here and making the most of everyday. And trying not to let any opportunities slip by unnoticed or unexplored.
Hope you are all well back home. Love and miss you. ♥♥
Friday, April 27, 2012
I'm alive! Oh right, and here's a post. :]
Alright folks. I'm alive. Sorry it has been ages since I last posted. Life just gets away from me. So I figure I owe you all at least 2 or 3 good posts, especially since I never even finished my adventures in the Philippines. Also, I'm going to attempt to start blogging regularly again, hopefully on Fridays since that is a relatively easy day and, I don't know, it just seems like a good day to do it. :] So, I'll start by telling you about the rest of my Philippines trip and we'll go from there. Readysetgo.
So, I left off with my amazing trip with Tao Philippines through the wilderness and beauty of Palawan. If you haven't seen the pictures or videos I've posted on facebook, you should go look. Here are the links to the videos. This first one is good, but, it's all in German. And it's pretty long. It's a whole documentary. But it's interesting and about the company as well as the trip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-eedTpXf8I&feature=share
This second one is only five minutes and it's in English and it describes the actual trip better. I think it does a really beautiful job of capturing the mood and vibe of the experience. http://vimeo.com/40630773
Okay so, if you watched either one of those, you can see for yourself how beautiful it is. But even as amazing as those videos portray it to be, they can not even begin to describe what this expedition was like. It changed my life. Yes, five days on a boat with 14 other complete strangers, plus the 7 Filipinos working the boat, who I spent more time with and got to know better than the other travelers, changed my entire life. I have never been more at peace with myself, or with God, or the world around me. Everyday wasn't sunshiny and beautiful but the experience was about so much more than weather. Even when the wind was throwing needles of stinging rain onto my overly sunkissed shoulders, that'll happen when you spend 6 months in Korea where the sun hardly makes an appearance and then change to everyday in the sun, and the water was so choppy it was impossible to sit still, there was a calm within my heart. My soul was sublimely happy. I can't recall ever feeling so centered and simply happy in my whole life. And when the storm moved on, and the seas calmed, leaving the boat to return to the gentle comforting rock I had come so used to so quickly, the sun peeked out from behind the thunderheads and warmed and dried my skin. The warmth soaked into my body and my heart. And aside from the breathtaking scenery and water so clear you can see 20 feet down like the floor is just below your feet, I forged friendships with the guys of Tao that I will forever hold dear in my heart. I picked up a little brother and several friends and even had a romance. And those connections just added so much more to the trip. They gave it a dimension I didn't know it was lacking. So, after 5 unforgettable days with Aurora, our boat, soaking up every bit of it we could, we finally pulled in to the harbor of Coron with sadness in the faces of everyone aboard. We gathered our things and stepped of the boat for what would likely be the last time.
Luckily, as most of us were spending a few days in Coron, we didn't have to say goodbye to our new friends just yet. We headed off to our hotels so get settled, drop off bags, clean up, and then met for dinner at a local bistro. I decided to take a short nap, which led to me accidentally sleeping longer than I meant to, of course, and being an hour late, but, no harm done. After all, there's no such thing as late when you live on island time. Some of us weren't ready for the night to end so after dinner a few of us headed out to a bar for some drinks and dancing. After we'd had our fill, those of us that remained, the last ones to bed every night of the trip, myself, Max, my new German friend, Edrian, my romance, Chance, my little brother, and Mharjio, the man responsible for the absolutely amazing food we got to eat, headed over to Captain Lito's house to carry on a bit longer. Well, Captain Lito was already asleep, it was after 11 after all, and he'd just finished a 5 day trip, and was leaving again in 2 days to do it all over again, so we sat in his living room and talked with his wife and sister, then watched Gulliver's Travels and had a marvelous time. His wife is such a sweetheart and his sister was hilarious. Finally, everyone getting tired, we headed back into town to call it a night. Edrian walked me to my hotel and I turned in for the night.
The next day brought one of the best days of my life, not to mention the trip. Edrian and Chance showed Max and I around the island of Coron by way of motorbike. And we started with a bang. Chance was the only one that could drive but he asked me if I thought I could do it, and wouldn't take no for an answer, so... a bit of chaos ensued. Despite my vehement protests, Chance put me on the bike, and with a 6'5" German on the back behind me, I attempted to drive. Well... you can imagine how that ended up. We crashed into a building, Max rolled over top of me, and I ended up under a very large German and a motorbike. Yeah. Thankfully, the worst injury was my shattered pride and the rest were only minor scrapes and a few bruises on me. So, we came up with plan B. Instead of renting two motorbikes and trying to force me to learn to drive in 5 seconds, I hired a driver (much better idea) and the trip was back on. Our driver was this super awesome guy named Omar, who really just added to the trip. We got a bigger bike since there would be three of us, Omar, me, and Edrian behind me, Max got behind Chance, and we were off. We went off the beaten path and Chance showed us his favorite spots and some amazing waterfalls tucked away in the jungles of Coron. But, the excitement didn't end with my run in with a building. The waterfalls Chance wanted to show us most were at the top of a mountain. Unfortunately, there had been a lot of rain in the last few months and the roads got washed out pretty bad, but, being a 16 year old boy, that didn't dissuade Chance at all and up we went. At a few places the going got pretty rough and we even had to get off and walk a few times. The bike could barely make it up with just Omar, and with the weight of two people on the back, it just wasn't going to happen. So the ride was a little rough, but still enjoyable. Until the bike slipped into a rut on the path and spilled to the side, taking us with it. Well, with someone on the bike behind me, and my desire not to be under a falling bike for the second time in one day, my reaction time for getting off the bike wasn't exactly Flash-worthy. And my leg hit the muffler. Now, if you've ever been on a bike, or around them, you know how hot mufflers get. This, plus my flesh, not exactly a brilliant combination. This all happened within seconds and Edrian and Omar had jumped off and caught the bike so it wasn't falling anymore, and since they were trying to keep it from falling again I figured I better just stay on and not move, to make it as easy for them as possible. Except that didn't really work and it fell again, slamming my leg, again, into the muffler. This time it hit closer to the bike, where the muffler is hotter, and the skin seared to the muffler, and when I pulled away out of reflex, my skin decided not to come with me. That's right folks. Two third degree burns in under 30 seconds. Hooray vacation! Anywho. So, in addition to my new body modifications to my leg, Omar hurt his wrist when he caught the bike from falling. His braking wrist. So, we have an injured driver, a wounded traveler, and we're in the middle of jungle. With nothing but two motorbikes, and a whole lot of mountain left to climb. So, in true manly fashion, we all suck it up, wrap Omar's wrist with a small lanyard the bike key was on, it was the only thing anyone had, we were only wearing swimming clothes and tshirts, mount back up, and carry on. After a bit we started to make our way back to civilization a bit and stopped for a break at Ollie's house (another guy with Tao but he worked on a different boat) and hung out with his wife and super cute kids for a bit. But the memorable part about Ollie's house is when we got there, Omar asked Ollie's wife for some toothpaste. So she comes out with a tiny packet of Colgate and I'm thinking - you really need to brush your teeth right now? That's a little strange, but, whatever floats your boat. Except then he tells me to let him see my leg, and proceeds to put toothpaste all over my burns. Umm, cool? Actually, yes. It made them stop burning and although the worse burn melted the toothpaste, it still helped dramatically with the pain. I would have never thought to put toothpaste on a burn and some people would probably call me crazy but, I got to learn the Filipino way of treating burns, or how to do it when you're in the jungle anyway. So, after a bit of rest and conversation, we got back on our bikes and continued on.
I got to see some really incredible views that day and have a once in a lifetime experience that I could have never expected on any vacation, but the two moments that will never fade from my memory, of this I am sure, are the following. We were coming down the other side of the mountain when we came around this turn and there was a break in the trees. You could see everything. It was looking down over this valley and all the other mountains that were shorter, of course Chance's favorite spot was on one of the tallest mountains on the island, and I felt like I was in a dream. Or a movie. It was absolutely breathtaking. The land was so untouched and primal and beautiful. My favorite view in life will probably always be an uninterrupted horizon looking out over the ocean, but the view of that valley will always be close behind. It was like looking over it all I could see all the life teeming just beneath the canopy of leaves. There was a whole world in that sea of green that had nothing to do with humans, and that was beautiful.
The other moment that will stay with me forever was at the end of the day. After seeing all of this awe-inspiring scenery, seeing all of God's wonder and glory untouched and in person, we were cruising down a dirt road and the sun was streaming through the leaves. Edrian had one earbud in and I had the other and we were listening to some song. But the moment wasn't about the music. There was just this instant where, with the sun speckled across my skin, and the warm wind kissing my face, with Edrian sitting close behind me, and us listening to the music, I felt like I had found another world. This wasn't the world where money or things mattered, there were no politics or big businesses, no factories or smokestacks or underhanded deals. There was just the sun, and the wind. There was melody and the earth. There was the sound of birds and insects singing sweetly in the coming sunset light. And it was perfect. It was simple and pure. The way life was supposed to be. It was the culmination of everything I had felt on my trip all refined into a single moment of pure, unbridled, life.
So, riding that wave of euphoria and holding onto that feeling of life, we headed to the hot springs to finish the day. We soaked away the sore muscles of a long ride and basked in the moment. After we went for a bit of dinner and I said goodbye to Max, not knowing if I would ever see him again, as he was leaving the next morning. And it was the end of another wonderful day.
The next morning brought breakfast, a trip to the Tao office to hang out with Rose, one of the managers, and a pleasant run in with Max. He was waiting for his van to go to the airport so we spent his last few hours recalling some of the awesome memories we had made over the last week and, at his insistence, maybe it's a German thing, having a few beers, even though it was only 11:30. After he left I headed back to my hotel, enjoyed a massage, then got a pedicure, and walked around the town for a bit. I (literally) ran into Edrian and Chance, when I was paying more attention to a little girl on the other side of the street than to where I was going, and since I had no plans, decided to spend the rest of the day with them. They were gathering supplies and loading up the boat for the next expedition which was leaving the next morning so I helped with that and after we were finished, we (me, Edrian, Chance, Mharjio, and the boat mechanic, who was a really awesome guy but who's name I never found out :/) sat around drinking rum and talking. By the way, in the Philippines they drink rum called Tanduay, and if I ever find it in the states, I just might become an alcoholic. It would be the only reason that would ever happen but man, is this delicious. Especially with some pineapple juice. Just so yummy. And I don't even like rum. But this is just... different. Anyway, then it was dinner and one more round of uncertain goodbyes, as every time I said it, I wasn't sure if I would ever see them again.
Sunday morning I woke up early, grabbed some fruit for breakfast, and headed out to the harbor to see the boys one last time before they left. They were finishing loading the boat with fruits and vegetables and ice, and while they were making trips back and forth to the boat, I got a chance to talk to some of the other men running boats in the area and Omar, who brought the loads of supplies in his trike. Finally, the time came to say goodbye for the last time, at least for a while, because I just can't accept that I'll never go back or see them all again. It was a sad moment but filled with the joy of friendships and memories made. And I know that I will see them again, if only through technology or dreams.
I spent the rest of the day exploring Coron by foot, got lost on side roads through the real village, away from the tourists, and ended it with a nice dinner with Lucy and some of the girls we had met on the boat.
Our last day in Coron Lucy and I did a bit of souvenir shopping and got hot oil treatments for our poor hair. Too much sun and salt water and not enough conditioner does not nice hair make. Then we headed to the Tao office to wait for our van, I saw goodbye to Rose and Markus, some fast friends I had made in the office, and when the van arrived, we headed to the airport. It was just a few short hours later that we were boarding our international flight "home" - or Korea, as it were - and before we knew it, vacation was over.
It was an amazing experience and one I will cherish for the rest of my life. I know I will go back to the Philippines at least once, hopefully many times, and often. It's got a special place in my heart and in the future, I may just call it home.
Sorry this post was something of a novel. I hope you enjoyed reading about my Philippine adventures at least a smidgen as much as I enjoyed having them. Because this took so long I won't be making another post today but I do promise to post again before it's been two months. Hope everyone back home is well. Miss you all and I'll see you in 4 months! ♥
So, I left off with my amazing trip with Tao Philippines through the wilderness and beauty of Palawan. If you haven't seen the pictures or videos I've posted on facebook, you should go look. Here are the links to the videos. This first one is good, but, it's all in German. And it's pretty long. It's a whole documentary. But it's interesting and about the company as well as the trip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-eedTpXf8I&feature=share
This second one is only five minutes and it's in English and it describes the actual trip better. I think it does a really beautiful job of capturing the mood and vibe of the experience. http://vimeo.com/40630773
Okay so, if you watched either one of those, you can see for yourself how beautiful it is. But even as amazing as those videos portray it to be, they can not even begin to describe what this expedition was like. It changed my life. Yes, five days on a boat with 14 other complete strangers, plus the 7 Filipinos working the boat, who I spent more time with and got to know better than the other travelers, changed my entire life. I have never been more at peace with myself, or with God, or the world around me. Everyday wasn't sunshiny and beautiful but the experience was about so much more than weather. Even when the wind was throwing needles of stinging rain onto my overly sunkissed shoulders, that'll happen when you spend 6 months in Korea where the sun hardly makes an appearance and then change to everyday in the sun, and the water was so choppy it was impossible to sit still, there was a calm within my heart. My soul was sublimely happy. I can't recall ever feeling so centered and simply happy in my whole life. And when the storm moved on, and the seas calmed, leaving the boat to return to the gentle comforting rock I had come so used to so quickly, the sun peeked out from behind the thunderheads and warmed and dried my skin. The warmth soaked into my body and my heart. And aside from the breathtaking scenery and water so clear you can see 20 feet down like the floor is just below your feet, I forged friendships with the guys of Tao that I will forever hold dear in my heart. I picked up a little brother and several friends and even had a romance. And those connections just added so much more to the trip. They gave it a dimension I didn't know it was lacking. So, after 5 unforgettable days with Aurora, our boat, soaking up every bit of it we could, we finally pulled in to the harbor of Coron with sadness in the faces of everyone aboard. We gathered our things and stepped of the boat for what would likely be the last time.
Luckily, as most of us were spending a few days in Coron, we didn't have to say goodbye to our new friends just yet. We headed off to our hotels so get settled, drop off bags, clean up, and then met for dinner at a local bistro. I decided to take a short nap, which led to me accidentally sleeping longer than I meant to, of course, and being an hour late, but, no harm done. After all, there's no such thing as late when you live on island time. Some of us weren't ready for the night to end so after dinner a few of us headed out to a bar for some drinks and dancing. After we'd had our fill, those of us that remained, the last ones to bed every night of the trip, myself, Max, my new German friend, Edrian, my romance, Chance, my little brother, and Mharjio, the man responsible for the absolutely amazing food we got to eat, headed over to Captain Lito's house to carry on a bit longer. Well, Captain Lito was already asleep, it was after 11 after all, and he'd just finished a 5 day trip, and was leaving again in 2 days to do it all over again, so we sat in his living room and talked with his wife and sister, then watched Gulliver's Travels and had a marvelous time. His wife is such a sweetheart and his sister was hilarious. Finally, everyone getting tired, we headed back into town to call it a night. Edrian walked me to my hotel and I turned in for the night.
The next day brought one of the best days of my life, not to mention the trip. Edrian and Chance showed Max and I around the island of Coron by way of motorbike. And we started with a bang. Chance was the only one that could drive but he asked me if I thought I could do it, and wouldn't take no for an answer, so... a bit of chaos ensued. Despite my vehement protests, Chance put me on the bike, and with a 6'5" German on the back behind me, I attempted to drive. Well... you can imagine how that ended up. We crashed into a building, Max rolled over top of me, and I ended up under a very large German and a motorbike. Yeah. Thankfully, the worst injury was my shattered pride and the rest were only minor scrapes and a few bruises on me. So, we came up with plan B. Instead of renting two motorbikes and trying to force me to learn to drive in 5 seconds, I hired a driver (much better idea) and the trip was back on. Our driver was this super awesome guy named Omar, who really just added to the trip. We got a bigger bike since there would be three of us, Omar, me, and Edrian behind me, Max got behind Chance, and we were off. We went off the beaten path and Chance showed us his favorite spots and some amazing waterfalls tucked away in the jungles of Coron. But, the excitement didn't end with my run in with a building. The waterfalls Chance wanted to show us most were at the top of a mountain. Unfortunately, there had been a lot of rain in the last few months and the roads got washed out pretty bad, but, being a 16 year old boy, that didn't dissuade Chance at all and up we went. At a few places the going got pretty rough and we even had to get off and walk a few times. The bike could barely make it up with just Omar, and with the weight of two people on the back, it just wasn't going to happen. So the ride was a little rough, but still enjoyable. Until the bike slipped into a rut on the path and spilled to the side, taking us with it. Well, with someone on the bike behind me, and my desire not to be under a falling bike for the second time in one day, my reaction time for getting off the bike wasn't exactly Flash-worthy. And my leg hit the muffler. Now, if you've ever been on a bike, or around them, you know how hot mufflers get. This, plus my flesh, not exactly a brilliant combination. This all happened within seconds and Edrian and Omar had jumped off and caught the bike so it wasn't falling anymore, and since they were trying to keep it from falling again I figured I better just stay on and not move, to make it as easy for them as possible. Except that didn't really work and it fell again, slamming my leg, again, into the muffler. This time it hit closer to the bike, where the muffler is hotter, and the skin seared to the muffler, and when I pulled away out of reflex, my skin decided not to come with me. That's right folks. Two third degree burns in under 30 seconds. Hooray vacation! Anywho. So, in addition to my new body modifications to my leg, Omar hurt his wrist when he caught the bike from falling. His braking wrist. So, we have an injured driver, a wounded traveler, and we're in the middle of jungle. With nothing but two motorbikes, and a whole lot of mountain left to climb. So, in true manly fashion, we all suck it up, wrap Omar's wrist with a small lanyard the bike key was on, it was the only thing anyone had, we were only wearing swimming clothes and tshirts, mount back up, and carry on. After a bit we started to make our way back to civilization a bit and stopped for a break at Ollie's house (another guy with Tao but he worked on a different boat) and hung out with his wife and super cute kids for a bit. But the memorable part about Ollie's house is when we got there, Omar asked Ollie's wife for some toothpaste. So she comes out with a tiny packet of Colgate and I'm thinking - you really need to brush your teeth right now? That's a little strange, but, whatever floats your boat. Except then he tells me to let him see my leg, and proceeds to put toothpaste all over my burns. Umm, cool? Actually, yes. It made them stop burning and although the worse burn melted the toothpaste, it still helped dramatically with the pain. I would have never thought to put toothpaste on a burn and some people would probably call me crazy but, I got to learn the Filipino way of treating burns, or how to do it when you're in the jungle anyway. So, after a bit of rest and conversation, we got back on our bikes and continued on.
I got to see some really incredible views that day and have a once in a lifetime experience that I could have never expected on any vacation, but the two moments that will never fade from my memory, of this I am sure, are the following. We were coming down the other side of the mountain when we came around this turn and there was a break in the trees. You could see everything. It was looking down over this valley and all the other mountains that were shorter, of course Chance's favorite spot was on one of the tallest mountains on the island, and I felt like I was in a dream. Or a movie. It was absolutely breathtaking. The land was so untouched and primal and beautiful. My favorite view in life will probably always be an uninterrupted horizon looking out over the ocean, but the view of that valley will always be close behind. It was like looking over it all I could see all the life teeming just beneath the canopy of leaves. There was a whole world in that sea of green that had nothing to do with humans, and that was beautiful.
The other moment that will stay with me forever was at the end of the day. After seeing all of this awe-inspiring scenery, seeing all of God's wonder and glory untouched and in person, we were cruising down a dirt road and the sun was streaming through the leaves. Edrian had one earbud in and I had the other and we were listening to some song. But the moment wasn't about the music. There was just this instant where, with the sun speckled across my skin, and the warm wind kissing my face, with Edrian sitting close behind me, and us listening to the music, I felt like I had found another world. This wasn't the world where money or things mattered, there were no politics or big businesses, no factories or smokestacks or underhanded deals. There was just the sun, and the wind. There was melody and the earth. There was the sound of birds and insects singing sweetly in the coming sunset light. And it was perfect. It was simple and pure. The way life was supposed to be. It was the culmination of everything I had felt on my trip all refined into a single moment of pure, unbridled, life.
So, riding that wave of euphoria and holding onto that feeling of life, we headed to the hot springs to finish the day. We soaked away the sore muscles of a long ride and basked in the moment. After we went for a bit of dinner and I said goodbye to Max, not knowing if I would ever see him again, as he was leaving the next morning. And it was the end of another wonderful day.
The next morning brought breakfast, a trip to the Tao office to hang out with Rose, one of the managers, and a pleasant run in with Max. He was waiting for his van to go to the airport so we spent his last few hours recalling some of the awesome memories we had made over the last week and, at his insistence, maybe it's a German thing, having a few beers, even though it was only 11:30. After he left I headed back to my hotel, enjoyed a massage, then got a pedicure, and walked around the town for a bit. I (literally) ran into Edrian and Chance, when I was paying more attention to a little girl on the other side of the street than to where I was going, and since I had no plans, decided to spend the rest of the day with them. They were gathering supplies and loading up the boat for the next expedition which was leaving the next morning so I helped with that and after we were finished, we (me, Edrian, Chance, Mharjio, and the boat mechanic, who was a really awesome guy but who's name I never found out :/) sat around drinking rum and talking. By the way, in the Philippines they drink rum called Tanduay, and if I ever find it in the states, I just might become an alcoholic. It would be the only reason that would ever happen but man, is this delicious. Especially with some pineapple juice. Just so yummy. And I don't even like rum. But this is just... different. Anyway, then it was dinner and one more round of uncertain goodbyes, as every time I said it, I wasn't sure if I would ever see them again.
Sunday morning I woke up early, grabbed some fruit for breakfast, and headed out to the harbor to see the boys one last time before they left. They were finishing loading the boat with fruits and vegetables and ice, and while they were making trips back and forth to the boat, I got a chance to talk to some of the other men running boats in the area and Omar, who brought the loads of supplies in his trike. Finally, the time came to say goodbye for the last time, at least for a while, because I just can't accept that I'll never go back or see them all again. It was a sad moment but filled with the joy of friendships and memories made. And I know that I will see them again, if only through technology or dreams.
I spent the rest of the day exploring Coron by foot, got lost on side roads through the real village, away from the tourists, and ended it with a nice dinner with Lucy and some of the girls we had met on the boat.
Our last day in Coron Lucy and I did a bit of souvenir shopping and got hot oil treatments for our poor hair. Too much sun and salt water and not enough conditioner does not nice hair make. Then we headed to the Tao office to wait for our van, I saw goodbye to Rose and Markus, some fast friends I had made in the office, and when the van arrived, we headed to the airport. It was just a few short hours later that we were boarding our international flight "home" - or Korea, as it were - and before we knew it, vacation was over.
It was an amazing experience and one I will cherish for the rest of my life. I know I will go back to the Philippines at least once, hopefully many times, and often. It's got a special place in my heart and in the future, I may just call it home.
Sorry this post was something of a novel. I hope you enjoyed reading about my Philippine adventures at least a smidgen as much as I enjoyed having them. Because this took so long I won't be making another post today but I do promise to post again before it's been two months. Hope everyone back home is well. Miss you all and I'll see you in 4 months! ♥
Friday, February 10, 2012
The Philippines.Part 2
Upon arriving in El Nido, Lucy and I took a trike to our hotel, Four Seasons, which was actually called All Seasons, but I think they found out Four Seasons is an American chain and so they sort of sucker you in with the name. It was a very nice hotel, not exactly what I was expecting, but nice. And it was beachfront so that was definitely a plus. But I'm getting ahead of myself. After the mixup with dates in Puerto Princesa I was looking forward to checking in, having some nice dinner, and getting some good sleep. Unfortunately, they got the dates mixed up, not my fault this time, and they had no empty rooms. So they put us up in a hotel on the other side of town, called Viva Rosa - it was the theme for our trip apparently - which was decent. It was a bit out of the way but it had hot showers and soft beds. I was very glad to be changing hotels the next morning though as we discovered it also had too many roosters and not enough quiet. Now, there are roosters all over the Philippines, and when I say all over I mean just about every family has one, cock fighting is big there, but this hotel had at least 3 and they had crowing competitions from about 4am til we left at 8:40, when the Four Seasons trike finally showed up, 40 minutes late. We caught the tail end of breakfast at the Four Seasons hotel, and then did a bit of exploring. The beach in front of our hotel wasn't nice, though the view was beautiful, but we found that if you walked down a bit and turned the corner there was a beautiful private beach just waiting to be relaxed upon. Which we promptly did. After a bit we headed into town and did a bit of exploring. The hotel was on the very outer edge of town, which was sort of a pain but at the same time nice because it meant the area wasn't swarming with tourists. It also meant that when we walked to town, we could have taken a trike but we thought it'd be nice to get a bit of exercise and we didn't think it was that far, it turned out to be an hour walk with not enough sunscreen on my back. And so I got my first burn of the vacation. It wasn't too bad though and went away within a few days.
We spent the next 5 days doing pretty much the same. Relaxing on the beach, making occasional trips into town for dinner or shopping, and basically just forgetting that the rest of the world existed. With the exception of an island hopping day trip somewhere in there - days stopped having names and numbers, there was only yesterday, today, and occasionally tomorrow - which we booked through our hotel. We left after breakfast and saw a couple of lagoons, had some fish cooked over a fire pit on the beach, and got to do some snorkeling. It wasn't exactly the highlight of the vacation but it was a nice break from the town, although there were far too many tourists at all of the locations for my taste, it was sort of a teaser for what was to come on the Tao boat. Our last day in El Nido we stocked up on sunscreen, checked in for our expedition for the next day, and went to sleep giddy and ready to start our boat trip. So after a relaxing week of beaches and small town El Nido, the first part of our vacation ended.
The next morning we woke up bright and early and headed to the Tao office for some amazing coffee and to start our expedition. This was the highlight of the vacation. We would be spending 5 days and 4 nights on a boat, sleeping on remote islands, enjoying the catch of the day - although I was in no way prepared for how delicious the food was - and getting to see the beautiful and remote parts of the Palawan islands the way they were meant to be seen. The trip is through a company called TaoPhilippines and they are the only company that does trips like this. The company was started by two guys, Jack and Eddie, from the UK - Eddie is Filipino but went to university in the UK and met Jack there. Eddie went on vacation and fell in love with the country so on his next vacation he brought Jack with him. Jack had the same sentiments as Eddie and so the two started this company to show people the hidden beauty of the remote islands of north Palawan. They also have social welfare projects and build schools for children on some of the islands. Overall it is really just a phenomenal company, aside from the most amazing experience I could have ever hoped for on a vacation, they are making it a point to give back to the community they are now part of and are making a difference in the locals lives everyday. Anyway, if you want to know more about the company you should check out their site, and if you ever go to the Philippines you should absolutely take a trip with them. You won't regret it. So, on to my trip. :] Sunday morning they loaded up our big bags onto the boat. We were supposed to be on the largest boat, Buhay which means "life" in Tagalog - the local language - but some of the people scheduled for the trip dropped out and so with our smaller numbers we ended up on a slightly smaller, but just as amazing boat named Aurora, for Eddie's late mother. We were ferried to boat with our day bags by guy named Edrian in a small motorboat, where I had my first, and only :], fall of the trip. Not really a fall as much as a slip. When I stepped into the boat I didn't think to take my flip flops off and because it was wet in the boat I slipped forward, almost going headfirst into the water. Everyone had a good laugh, myself and included, and we made it to the boat without any other complications. Which was good considering it was a 2 minute ride. Once on the boat we met the rest of the crew, DenDen, and Chance, the other two guys that would work the boat with Edrian, Johann, our expedition leader for the first day, his boat is Buhay so we were supposed to be with him but with the smaller group, and the smaller boat, we would have a different expedition leader, but she just got back from a trip and asked Johann to take the first day so she could rest. There was also Captain Lito, Mharjo, the chef, and the engine mechanic whose name I could not, and still can't, remember. Oh, and of course, Tiger. She is an island dog that lives on the boat. After everyone was aboard the boys pulled up the anchors and we set sail. The first night we stayed in Bacuit Bay at Tao Village - about 10 minutes from El Nido, though we took a bit of a longer way to get in some snorkeling. The island where we stopped for the night was absolutely amazing. We pulled up in the boat to a beautiful white beach, the clearest water I've ever seen, huts hiding in the trees, and a hammock swaying in the wind. A couple of the guys got a fire going while people started showering. I went for a swim in the ocean and could not get over how clear the water was. Even when it was 10-12 feet deep, I could still see the bottom like it was only a few feet below me. After a nice swim I took a nice shower with a bucket. Running water is nice but I don't mind the bucket, I think Korea has sort of transitioned me into that. And it was fresh spring water from a well in the jungle so it washed away the sweat and salt of the day and left me refreshed. Then we all got a free massage from some of the women who lived nearby. Tao pays them to take care of the village and to give one massage to each guest when they come through. For us it was the first night, but if we had done the reverse trip from Coron to El Nido it would be the last. Regardless it was amazing and everyone agreed that they did such a good job they deserved tips. Then it was time for more food. Mharjo (pronounced Mar-jee-oh) was the chef and he makes the most amazing food I have ever had in my life. No questions asked. Everyday we had something different for breakfast, be it eggs and vegetables, fried eggplant, porridge and fruit, or pancakes it was delicious. Lunch and dinner were always some sort of fresh fish cooked over a low fire or coals by one of the guys, usually Edrian, and an assortment of vegetables by Mharjo. I mean really, I can not even express to you all how good this food was. So after an amazing dinner, we cleared the table and sat around sharing stories with the other guests on the boat and Jack and drinking rhum and coke or rhum and pineapple juice til late into the night. Now back home I don't like rum and thought that it would be the same anywhere but rhum in the Philippines is delicious. It doesn't even taste like rum. The rhum in the Philippines is called Tanduay and it is dangerous. So, after much drinking, laughing, and debauchery, we called it a night and made our way to bed. We stayed in huts built up off the ground on mattresses the boys set out for everyone. They even gave us sheets and hung our mosquito nets for us, though I didn't find them necessary.
I woke early the next morning and caught the sunrise, spent some time talking to Eddie and indulged in amazing coffee that Eddie's grandmother sends to him from north Philippines that she grows and sells. It was the best coffee I've ever had. You can see now why this trip was so good. Aside from being in the Philippines and all of the amazing sights, every time I turned around there was incredible food and coffee waiting for me. And, with being active everyday I even toned up and didn't gain any weight. I wish I could live like that everyday. So, after everyone was up, fed, packed, and ready to go we just had to wait on Zaza to get there and then we were off for the day. Once Zaza came the trip took on a bit of a different feel. When I met Johann he immediately made me think of Jack Sparrow. As our expedition leader, you can see how this would be good for the trip. Zaza was a different story. She's nice and everything, but she's not much of a people person. Johann took the time to get to know, or at least appear to get to know, the guests whereas Zaza sort of acted as though she had better things to do. At least that was the way I felt. She was really nice and not necessarily antisocial or rude, it just gave the trip a different vibe. Anyway, once Zaza got there we were on our way. We spent the rest of the trip doing pretty much the same. Stopping to snorkel and for lunch, amazing dinner and breakfast on the islands, beautiful reefs and days spent lounging in the sun or swimming. It was absolutely paradise. If heaven is different for everyone there is no doubt in my mind that mine will be a beach. With the sun warming my face, waves crashing on the shore or lapping at the boat as music drifts with the wind, soft sand between my toes, and good friends for conversation. Life just doesn't get better than that.
More in the next post. :]
We spent the next 5 days doing pretty much the same. Relaxing on the beach, making occasional trips into town for dinner or shopping, and basically just forgetting that the rest of the world existed. With the exception of an island hopping day trip somewhere in there - days stopped having names and numbers, there was only yesterday, today, and occasionally tomorrow - which we booked through our hotel. We left after breakfast and saw a couple of lagoons, had some fish cooked over a fire pit on the beach, and got to do some snorkeling. It wasn't exactly the highlight of the vacation but it was a nice break from the town, although there were far too many tourists at all of the locations for my taste, it was sort of a teaser for what was to come on the Tao boat. Our last day in El Nido we stocked up on sunscreen, checked in for our expedition for the next day, and went to sleep giddy and ready to start our boat trip. So after a relaxing week of beaches and small town El Nido, the first part of our vacation ended.
The next morning we woke up bright and early and headed to the Tao office for some amazing coffee and to start our expedition. This was the highlight of the vacation. We would be spending 5 days and 4 nights on a boat, sleeping on remote islands, enjoying the catch of the day - although I was in no way prepared for how delicious the food was - and getting to see the beautiful and remote parts of the Palawan islands the way they were meant to be seen. The trip is through a company called TaoPhilippines and they are the only company that does trips like this. The company was started by two guys, Jack and Eddie, from the UK - Eddie is Filipino but went to university in the UK and met Jack there. Eddie went on vacation and fell in love with the country so on his next vacation he brought Jack with him. Jack had the same sentiments as Eddie and so the two started this company to show people the hidden beauty of the remote islands of north Palawan. They also have social welfare projects and build schools for children on some of the islands. Overall it is really just a phenomenal company, aside from the most amazing experience I could have ever hoped for on a vacation, they are making it a point to give back to the community they are now part of and are making a difference in the locals lives everyday. Anyway, if you want to know more about the company you should check out their site, and if you ever go to the Philippines you should absolutely take a trip with them. You won't regret it. So, on to my trip. :] Sunday morning they loaded up our big bags onto the boat. We were supposed to be on the largest boat, Buhay which means "life" in Tagalog - the local language - but some of the people scheduled for the trip dropped out and so with our smaller numbers we ended up on a slightly smaller, but just as amazing boat named Aurora, for Eddie's late mother. We were ferried to boat with our day bags by guy named Edrian in a small motorboat, where I had my first, and only :], fall of the trip. Not really a fall as much as a slip. When I stepped into the boat I didn't think to take my flip flops off and because it was wet in the boat I slipped forward, almost going headfirst into the water. Everyone had a good laugh, myself and included, and we made it to the boat without any other complications. Which was good considering it was a 2 minute ride. Once on the boat we met the rest of the crew, DenDen, and Chance, the other two guys that would work the boat with Edrian, Johann, our expedition leader for the first day, his boat is Buhay so we were supposed to be with him but with the smaller group, and the smaller boat, we would have a different expedition leader, but she just got back from a trip and asked Johann to take the first day so she could rest. There was also Captain Lito, Mharjo, the chef, and the engine mechanic whose name I could not, and still can't, remember. Oh, and of course, Tiger. She is an island dog that lives on the boat. After everyone was aboard the boys pulled up the anchors and we set sail. The first night we stayed in Bacuit Bay at Tao Village - about 10 minutes from El Nido, though we took a bit of a longer way to get in some snorkeling. The island where we stopped for the night was absolutely amazing. We pulled up in the boat to a beautiful white beach, the clearest water I've ever seen, huts hiding in the trees, and a hammock swaying in the wind. A couple of the guys got a fire going while people started showering. I went for a swim in the ocean and could not get over how clear the water was. Even when it was 10-12 feet deep, I could still see the bottom like it was only a few feet below me. After a nice swim I took a nice shower with a bucket. Running water is nice but I don't mind the bucket, I think Korea has sort of transitioned me into that. And it was fresh spring water from a well in the jungle so it washed away the sweat and salt of the day and left me refreshed. Then we all got a free massage from some of the women who lived nearby. Tao pays them to take care of the village and to give one massage to each guest when they come through. For us it was the first night, but if we had done the reverse trip from Coron to El Nido it would be the last. Regardless it was amazing and everyone agreed that they did such a good job they deserved tips. Then it was time for more food. Mharjo (pronounced Mar-jee-oh) was the chef and he makes the most amazing food I have ever had in my life. No questions asked. Everyday we had something different for breakfast, be it eggs and vegetables, fried eggplant, porridge and fruit, or pancakes it was delicious. Lunch and dinner were always some sort of fresh fish cooked over a low fire or coals by one of the guys, usually Edrian, and an assortment of vegetables by Mharjo. I mean really, I can not even express to you all how good this food was. So after an amazing dinner, we cleared the table and sat around sharing stories with the other guests on the boat and Jack and drinking rhum and coke or rhum and pineapple juice til late into the night. Now back home I don't like rum and thought that it would be the same anywhere but rhum in the Philippines is delicious. It doesn't even taste like rum. The rhum in the Philippines is called Tanduay and it is dangerous. So, after much drinking, laughing, and debauchery, we called it a night and made our way to bed. We stayed in huts built up off the ground on mattresses the boys set out for everyone. They even gave us sheets and hung our mosquito nets for us, though I didn't find them necessary.
I woke early the next morning and caught the sunrise, spent some time talking to Eddie and indulged in amazing coffee that Eddie's grandmother sends to him from north Philippines that she grows and sells. It was the best coffee I've ever had. You can see now why this trip was so good. Aside from being in the Philippines and all of the amazing sights, every time I turned around there was incredible food and coffee waiting for me. And, with being active everyday I even toned up and didn't gain any weight. I wish I could live like that everyday. So, after everyone was up, fed, packed, and ready to go we just had to wait on Zaza to get there and then we were off for the day. Once Zaza came the trip took on a bit of a different feel. When I met Johann he immediately made me think of Jack Sparrow. As our expedition leader, you can see how this would be good for the trip. Zaza was a different story. She's nice and everything, but she's not much of a people person. Johann took the time to get to know, or at least appear to get to know, the guests whereas Zaza sort of acted as though she had better things to do. At least that was the way I felt. She was really nice and not necessarily antisocial or rude, it just gave the trip a different vibe. Anyway, once Zaza got there we were on our way. We spent the rest of the trip doing pretty much the same. Stopping to snorkel and for lunch, amazing dinner and breakfast on the islands, beautiful reefs and days spent lounging in the sun or swimming. It was absolutely paradise. If heaven is different for everyone there is no doubt in my mind that mine will be a beach. With the sun warming my face, waves crashing on the shore or lapping at the boat as music drifts with the wind, soft sand between my toes, and good friends for conversation. Life just doesn't get better than that.
More in the next post. :]
The Philippines.Part 1
After 3 weeks of winter camps and icy, windy Korea, I could not wait for my vacation in the sun. Friday night I headed to Daegu to meet the guy that watched Switch and take her to him. I was a bit nervous as I had not met him before and only had a few conversations with him on facebook, but I was pleasantly surprised as we had coffee and talked before handing over Switch. After squaring away all the details and getting everything settled, I passed Switch off and headed out into Daegu for a night out before vacation. Everyone in Daegu was out of town on their vacations already so I had some dinner and called it an early night and found my way to the only jimjilbang I knew how to get to in Daegu. Unfortunately, this is the jimjilbang where I lost my jewelry a week prior. Yeap, both rings(this includes my high school class ring, the loss I am most upset about) and my necklace. Luckily, I wasn't wearing my irreplaceable pendant and while the it was all sentimental and expensive jewelry, it is all (theoretically) replaceable. But, it was the only place I knew of to stay so off I went. After a nice shower and some serious quiet time in the saunas, I tried to catch a few hours of sleep as I knew Saturday and Sunday would be long days full of travel.
Saturday I caught up with a friend to kill time until Lucy got to town and then met up with her after lunch. By the way, Lucy was my traveling companion and friend that lives about an hour north of me in Andong. We went to the same orientation but didn't really start hanging out until we found out we were taking the same vacation and decided to pair up to make things safer and easier. She's from England and is 24 and it was nice to have someone to travel with. Anyway, we bought our tickets for the KTX train and I got to experience my first train ride. It wasn't too exciting, though I think it may be different if I was on a standard rail train as the KTX is something akin to a bullet train. Anyway, we made it to Seoul in record time, only 3 or 4 hours, it seems so long ago I can't remember, and then switched to the airport train. Upon arriving at Incheon Airport, I was thoroughly impressed. When I came through this airport six months ago, it was after 24 hours of travel and no sleep, dazed and reeling from the travel and the sheer fact that I was in South Korea. I was clearly not observant or aware of much around me because I would have remembered how awesome the airport is. I did not feel like I was in an airport. No one was rushing, it was quiet and there were no harsh lights. There was an ice rink, a movie theater, of course lots of restaurants, and a jimjilbang. Not to mention all the stores for duty free shopping. Lucy and I got some dinner at a restaurant offering Thai, Italian, Korean, and Japanese food, and then made our way to the jimjilbang for a bit of de-stressing and some sleep. The de-stressing was great, the sleep, hard to come by in jimjilbangs but at least this one had a sleep room. The one in Daegu never shut up. I swear Koreans don't sleep. But regardless, we were up bright and early for our 8:15 flight out of Korea and into the not-so-beautiful-butmuchclosertowherewewanttobe-Manila.
It was a short 4 hour flight to Manila, losing one hour, the Philippines are one hour ahead of Korea, and then we joined the throngs of other confused tourists as we attempted to figure out where to go and how to get there. We had to take a shuttle from the arrivals terminal to a separate terminal for domestic flights with Philippine Airlines. After a 30 minute wait and a 15 minute shuttle ride, we made our way through the airport and started the 5 hour wait for our next flight. By the time we finally boarded and then made it to Puerto Princesa, we were exhausted and ready to crash for the night.
First Lucy had to wait to get her checked bag as we were only allowed one piece of carry on, which was a bit of a hassle, as there is one small baggage carousel and everyone crowds around it and then tries to push out the one door simultaneously. Everyone who checked baggage (almost everyone on the plane) had to then go through the same line to make sure your ticket matches the tag on your luggage. Which I appreciate, but it’s time-consuming. Unfortunately, Lucy had lost her baggage claim slip and they kept asking me for one for my backpack, but I didn't have one as it was my carryon, and they almost wouldn't let us out of the airport. Basically it came down to, we didn't have what they wanted and there was no other way to check so they waited until we were the last people and then when no one came up demanding that we had their bags, they decided we weren't lying and let us go. Then we had to take a trike, the local form of transportation, which is basically a motorbike with a glorified side car, to our hostel, House of Rose. Easy to remember. :] Upon arriving I was disappointed to discover I accidentally booked the wrong night, I booked for January 23 and we needed January 22, but the girls were super great about it and worked it out by letting us stay in an extra room in the house that some guys had used the night before for a similar reason. They even gave us a beer on the house for the mixup, even though it was my fault, turning what could have been a frustrating and disastrous start to our vacation into a pleasant one. So after dumping our bags in the room we found the bar and enjoyed some pleasant conversation and a few more beers before turning in for the night. However, instead of calling it an early night, an Australian guy from the bar, he lived right next to the hostel, insisted on taking us out for a few drinks since it was our first night of vacation and we would only be in Puerto Princesa for the night. We acquiesced and our plans for a quiet early night changed to a night on the town. Some craziness ensued and after getting split up, I headed back to the hostel in hopes Lucy would be there when I woke up. Luckily she was, though it was a late night for both of us, and with little sleep, again, we caught the van to El Nido. The trip took about 5 hours with one stop for a quick lunch and another stop to fix something on the van, which I'm pretty sure was just an excuse for the driver to pee. It would have taken longer if our driver cared about silly things like speed limits. I cannot tell you how many dogs, chickens, and people we almost hit. It was a long, bumpy ride, with no attention paid to speed limits and rough roads for at least half the trip. But, it was air conditioned, and there was good conversation to be had so while not the most pleasant trip of the vacation, it could have been much worse.
Well, this post is long enough so I'll write about El Nido in the next installment. :]
Saturday I caught up with a friend to kill time until Lucy got to town and then met up with her after lunch. By the way, Lucy was my traveling companion and friend that lives about an hour north of me in Andong. We went to the same orientation but didn't really start hanging out until we found out we were taking the same vacation and decided to pair up to make things safer and easier. She's from England and is 24 and it was nice to have someone to travel with. Anyway, we bought our tickets for the KTX train and I got to experience my first train ride. It wasn't too exciting, though I think it may be different if I was on a standard rail train as the KTX is something akin to a bullet train. Anyway, we made it to Seoul in record time, only 3 or 4 hours, it seems so long ago I can't remember, and then switched to the airport train. Upon arriving at Incheon Airport, I was thoroughly impressed. When I came through this airport six months ago, it was after 24 hours of travel and no sleep, dazed and reeling from the travel and the sheer fact that I was in South Korea. I was clearly not observant or aware of much around me because I would have remembered how awesome the airport is. I did not feel like I was in an airport. No one was rushing, it was quiet and there were no harsh lights. There was an ice rink, a movie theater, of course lots of restaurants, and a jimjilbang. Not to mention all the stores for duty free shopping. Lucy and I got some dinner at a restaurant offering Thai, Italian, Korean, and Japanese food, and then made our way to the jimjilbang for a bit of de-stressing and some sleep. The de-stressing was great, the sleep, hard to come by in jimjilbangs but at least this one had a sleep room. The one in Daegu never shut up. I swear Koreans don't sleep. But regardless, we were up bright and early for our 8:15 flight out of Korea and into the not-so-beautiful-butmuchclosertowherewewanttobe-Manila.
It was a short 4 hour flight to Manila, losing one hour, the Philippines are one hour ahead of Korea, and then we joined the throngs of other confused tourists as we attempted to figure out where to go and how to get there. We had to take a shuttle from the arrivals terminal to a separate terminal for domestic flights with Philippine Airlines. After a 30 minute wait and a 15 minute shuttle ride, we made our way through the airport and started the 5 hour wait for our next flight. By the time we finally boarded and then made it to Puerto Princesa, we were exhausted and ready to crash for the night.
First Lucy had to wait to get her checked bag as we were only allowed one piece of carry on, which was a bit of a hassle, as there is one small baggage carousel and everyone crowds around it and then tries to push out the one door simultaneously. Everyone who checked baggage (almost everyone on the plane) had to then go through the same line to make sure your ticket matches the tag on your luggage. Which I appreciate, but it’s time-consuming. Unfortunately, Lucy had lost her baggage claim slip and they kept asking me for one for my backpack, but I didn't have one as it was my carryon, and they almost wouldn't let us out of the airport. Basically it came down to, we didn't have what they wanted and there was no other way to check so they waited until we were the last people and then when no one came up demanding that we had their bags, they decided we weren't lying and let us go. Then we had to take a trike, the local form of transportation, which is basically a motorbike with a glorified side car, to our hostel, House of Rose. Easy to remember. :] Upon arriving I was disappointed to discover I accidentally booked the wrong night, I booked for January 23 and we needed January 22, but the girls were super great about it and worked it out by letting us stay in an extra room in the house that some guys had used the night before for a similar reason. They even gave us a beer on the house for the mixup, even though it was my fault, turning what could have been a frustrating and disastrous start to our vacation into a pleasant one. So after dumping our bags in the room we found the bar and enjoyed some pleasant conversation and a few more beers before turning in for the night. However, instead of calling it an early night, an Australian guy from the bar, he lived right next to the hostel, insisted on taking us out for a few drinks since it was our first night of vacation and we would only be in Puerto Princesa for the night. We acquiesced and our plans for a quiet early night changed to a night on the town. Some craziness ensued and after getting split up, I headed back to the hostel in hopes Lucy would be there when I woke up. Luckily she was, though it was a late night for both of us, and with little sleep, again, we caught the van to El Nido. The trip took about 5 hours with one stop for a quick lunch and another stop to fix something on the van, which I'm pretty sure was just an excuse for the driver to pee. It would have taken longer if our driver cared about silly things like speed limits. I cannot tell you how many dogs, chickens, and people we almost hit. It was a long, bumpy ride, with no attention paid to speed limits and rough roads for at least half the trip. But, it was air conditioned, and there was good conversation to be had so while not the most pleasant trip of the vacation, it could have been much worse.
Well, this post is long enough so I'll write about El Nido in the next installment. :]
Sunday, February 5, 2012
A New Year
Wow, the new year feels so long ago now. It's hard to believe it's only been a month since 2011 was ending and we were ringing in 2012 in Daegu. I had a pretty low key new year, just a few friends gathered in Daegu with a few drinks and lots of laughs. I met some a guy and his twin brother from South Africa, the one I met was on vacation and his twin teaches here. So I clicked with their group and spent the rest of the night hanging out in the club with a nice finish at Burger King for some morning ice cream. Unfortunately, the subway doesn't open until 5:30 and it was only 3 so we went to a Lotteria and sat around for a few hours until the subway opened so we could get to our bus terminals. We said our goodbyes, exchanged infos and parted ways.
It's still so uncanny to me that I have met so many people for a day or a weekend, had such a great time with them, and yet will, in all likely hood, never see them again. Back home this was never the case. Except maybe in Orlando. And even there it was unlikely. Usually if you saw someone once, at least if you ever went back to where you met them, you would meet them again. Here I feel like everything is so transient and always changing. Even though people are here on one year contracts, and even those that stay two or three years, it still such a small snippet of their life. Of course there are the people with whom I really connect and so keep in contact with regardless of distance, but those are usually ones I met at orientation or see multiple times because of a common friend or frequenting the same places. I guess I just feel very transient here. I don't feel like Korea is home. Even after six months at the same job, and the same apartment, it just isn't the same. But, I suppose that could be a good thing since it means there's no danger of me loving it so much I would ever be tempted to stay another year, or even another six months. I am enjoying my time here and the great people that I meet along the way, the experiences I get to have and all the awesome stuff I get to see, but it still feels like an extended vacation to me. So while Korea will never be my home, it will at least offer me a place to form unforgettable memories and have what I'm sure will always be some of the most outrageous times of my life.
So here's to the new year and all the surprises and changes it will bring with it. Hope everyone back home is having a great start to their new year!
It's still so uncanny to me that I have met so many people for a day or a weekend, had such a great time with them, and yet will, in all likely hood, never see them again. Back home this was never the case. Except maybe in Orlando. And even there it was unlikely. Usually if you saw someone once, at least if you ever went back to where you met them, you would meet them again. Here I feel like everything is so transient and always changing. Even though people are here on one year contracts, and even those that stay two or three years, it still such a small snippet of their life. Of course there are the people with whom I really connect and so keep in contact with regardless of distance, but those are usually ones I met at orientation or see multiple times because of a common friend or frequenting the same places. I guess I just feel very transient here. I don't feel like Korea is home. Even after six months at the same job, and the same apartment, it just isn't the same. But, I suppose that could be a good thing since it means there's no danger of me loving it so much I would ever be tempted to stay another year, or even another six months. I am enjoying my time here and the great people that I meet along the way, the experiences I get to have and all the awesome stuff I get to see, but it still feels like an extended vacation to me. So while Korea will never be my home, it will at least offer me a place to form unforgettable memories and have what I'm sure will always be some of the most outrageous times of my life.
So here's to the new year and all the surprises and changes it will bring with it. Hope everyone back home is having a great start to their new year!
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