Oh! Cambodia went to fast. We got greedy and sped through it and now I wish I was in quite ole' Siem Reap instead of dirty Bangkok. But that's what one gets when rushing into things. Anyways...Cambodia!
What a beautiful country. I miss it already. Beautiful caring people, beautiful landscapes , quite, peaceful, relaxed. It was fabulous. Angkor Wat...magnificent! The entire complex is so amazing. I loved just walking around in the forests surrounded by peacefulness and old temple ruins. One of my favorite parts was just driving around in the tuk tuk. It was so nice, country road drives that took me back to Iowa memories. It also reminded me a lot of the Philippines. Very simple lifestyles, they mostly ride bicycles. The power doesn't always work and cows everywhere. For such a beautiful country, the people have suffered greatly and still do due to the 3-5 million landmines that exist there still!
Tonight, Derrick and I are on Kosan Road in Bangkok wishing we weren't here. Ugh...dirty, nasty, noisy city...We are leaving to go to the North tomorrow though, so only a few hours left here. Today, I feel that I am ready to head back to Taiwan, but we still have 16 more days. We will see how I feel in 2 more days, hopefully things will get better once out of Bangkok! Take Care!
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Saturday, 20 September 2008
The Uncle Ho Trail
It is raining this lazy Sunday morning as we prepare to say goodbye to such a beautiful country. From the early age of 16, when I was introduced to my second family in life, the Tran's at Asian Gourmet, I've always wonder what Vietnam was like. Lien always said she would take me there, but I couldn't wait any longer.
From the minute I entered Saigon I was happy. Ecstatic more like it! Clean air, western style, everything that Taiwan isn't. The people are amazing! Friendly, quite, resiliant, hardworking, and passionate for their country. They don't take less than they deserve and seem to strive each day to make life better for themselves and thier families. They don't give up. Evident by the masterminds of the Cu Chi Tunnels.
The highlights of my trip have been Dalat and Sapa. I had no idea what amazing mountains were in this country. I took in every negative ion the greenery produced and repaired my mind and body. Nature...I've missed it so much. Crusining on scooters in Dalat, sucking in the awesome big, blue skies, the fabulous cummulus clouds and the fresh wind whipping thru my hair. Getting sick on buses because my eyes couldn't get enough of the amazing amount of elevation that we would gain and lose was worth it all. Trekking for 3 days in the rice terraces of Northern Vietnam, opening my eyes to the way people live just to have survive each day, while the stock market crashes in America and everyone thinks the world is going to end. What little they realize....
To the craziness of Hanoi, boy! I am glad to leave it, to the serenity of Halong Bay. To all the awesome people I have met in this countr! I am usually jaded to the tourist track, but it's been great to be able to keep relationships going throughout our trip.
Vietnam has opened my eyes. Opened my eyes to all the places in the world I have not been yet or even thought of, to changing my attitude and lifestyle. To helping me realize what Taiwan is to me, what it was and how it will be. It's been a good mind expansion, to say the least.
Now we are off to Cambodia...I have no idea what to expect, which is good, for I am trying to live my life with little expectations. Just trying to life life for each moment that it hands me. So, stay tuned to the adventures of Team D.J. as we roll into Camobdia to discover whatever it has to give.
From the minute I entered Saigon I was happy. Ecstatic more like it! Clean air, western style, everything that Taiwan isn't. The people are amazing! Friendly, quite, resiliant, hardworking, and passionate for their country. They don't take less than they deserve and seem to strive each day to make life better for themselves and thier families. They don't give up. Evident by the masterminds of the Cu Chi Tunnels.
The highlights of my trip have been Dalat and Sapa. I had no idea what amazing mountains were in this country. I took in every negative ion the greenery produced and repaired my mind and body. Nature...I've missed it so much. Crusining on scooters in Dalat, sucking in the awesome big, blue skies, the fabulous cummulus clouds and the fresh wind whipping thru my hair. Getting sick on buses because my eyes couldn't get enough of the amazing amount of elevation that we would gain and lose was worth it all. Trekking for 3 days in the rice terraces of Northern Vietnam, opening my eyes to the way people live just to have survive each day, while the stock market crashes in America and everyone thinks the world is going to end. What little they realize....
To the craziness of Hanoi, boy! I am glad to leave it, to the serenity of Halong Bay. To all the awesome people I have met in this countr! I am usually jaded to the tourist track, but it's been great to be able to keep relationships going throughout our trip.
Vietnam has opened my eyes. Opened my eyes to all the places in the world I have not been yet or even thought of, to changing my attitude and lifestyle. To helping me realize what Taiwan is to me, what it was and how it will be. It's been a good mind expansion, to say the least.
Now we are off to Cambodia...I have no idea what to expect, which is good, for I am trying to live my life with little expectations. Just trying to life life for each moment that it hands me. So, stay tuned to the adventures of Team D.J. as we roll into Camobdia to discover whatever it has to give.
Thursday, 18 September 2008
American Woman!
Wow! Another day in Paradise. Can life really be this good? I guess it can, because I am living the best life right now. Today, as I swam in a beautiful bay in the middle of Asia, rode my bike through remote villages, I realized how awesome it is to be Jess.
I've worked so hard, taken so many risks and struggled a lot this year, but I realize more and more everyday how worth it, it has been. My friend Donna once said to me, "I choose to be happy." That simple statement has influenced me for the last year. It was the initiator into my life in Asia. And, it is a priority in my life. I choose to live a happy life and that meant leaving Brian, leaving a huge part of my life behind and it has been worth all of it!
Today, I realized that American women are highly regarded around the world. I am so lucky to be an American woman! We are so lucky to be able to have the rights we do, be self-confident, independent and opportunities galore. Others are not so lucky...we are lucky to be raised in a culture where we are equal. No silly standards to live up to.
Well, it's time to close this blog and I hope you all are well. I will write more soon and miss you all!
I've worked so hard, taken so many risks and struggled a lot this year, but I realize more and more everyday how worth it, it has been. My friend Donna once said to me, "I choose to be happy." That simple statement has influenced me for the last year. It was the initiator into my life in Asia. And, it is a priority in my life. I choose to live a happy life and that meant leaving Brian, leaving a huge part of my life behind and it has been worth all of it!
Today, I realized that American women are highly regarded around the world. I am so lucky to be an American woman! We are so lucky to be able to have the rights we do, be self-confident, independent and opportunities galore. Others are not so lucky...we are lucky to be raised in a culture where we are equal. No silly standards to live up to.
Well, it's time to close this blog and I hope you all are well. I will write more soon and miss you all!
Monday, 15 September 2008
Sapa, Vietnam- 3 days in Paradise
We just spent the last 3 days in Sapa. We took an overnight train and a one hour car ride to this great little mountain town, it was worth every bump and motion sickness pills to get there!
From Sapa, we booked 2 nights to sleep in minority villages. We got to stay with the local people in their homes. It was quite an experience. The first day we hiked 12 KM. Through gorgeous rice terraces, mountains and the freshest air I have had in a long time! The local Black Muong tribe followed us the whole way. All the women follow the tourists each day, being very nice to us, making us beautiful flower wreaths for our hair, little animals crafted from rice stalks and bouquets carefully crafted into heart shapes for us. They carry handbags, bracelets, blankets in woven baskets on their backs hoping that us, rich white people, will buy their goods. Each day, the walk the mountains in hopes of making such little money on their intricate embroidery. There embordiery is so detailed, beautiful, it blows Gramma Sahm's away! So, you know me, I definitly purchased my fair share!
We had this fantastic tour guide named Zung. He really made our trip the best! Super enthusiastic and always making sure we were happy! We went swimming in beautiful waterfalls, crystal clear waters and beautiful mountains! It was very interesting to go from village to village. It was obvious which villages had more money than others and how important it is for the local people to have the toursit industry come to them. They are so very poor, indoor plumbing is definitly a luxury item, only for the richest people in the village. And those people are the ones who host the tourists in their homes! Amazing how everything in our lives is just an "extra" compared to these people. It's a good eye opener for Derrick, I believe.
We hiked a total of 28 KM in three days! I loved getting out and being in nature and it feels so good to exercise. Along the way, I met a very nice Vietnamese man named Kien. He was very passionate about learning English, so I spent many hours helping him with pronunciation, phonics, etc. He was also very good looking :) But, what I loved about Kien is that he opened up my eyes to how important learning English is for them. It is a survival tool they need in order to make money. He opened my eyes to how much I have learned how to be an English teacher and how I am looking forward to doing this more, just in a different environment. I have many tools to give and want to give them to the people who need them most. So now, I am on a journey to figure out how to do this. I guess Sister Mary Lee is calling my name again!
I miss you all and hope you are well. Looking forward to returning to the States in June!
From Sapa, we booked 2 nights to sleep in minority villages. We got to stay with the local people in their homes. It was quite an experience. The first day we hiked 12 KM. Through gorgeous rice terraces, mountains and the freshest air I have had in a long time! The local Black Muong tribe followed us the whole way. All the women follow the tourists each day, being very nice to us, making us beautiful flower wreaths for our hair, little animals crafted from rice stalks and bouquets carefully crafted into heart shapes for us. They carry handbags, bracelets, blankets in woven baskets on their backs hoping that us, rich white people, will buy their goods. Each day, the walk the mountains in hopes of making such little money on their intricate embroidery. There embordiery is so detailed, beautiful, it blows Gramma Sahm's away! So, you know me, I definitly purchased my fair share!
We had this fantastic tour guide named Zung. He really made our trip the best! Super enthusiastic and always making sure we were happy! We went swimming in beautiful waterfalls, crystal clear waters and beautiful mountains! It was very interesting to go from village to village. It was obvious which villages had more money than others and how important it is for the local people to have the toursit industry come to them. They are so very poor, indoor plumbing is definitly a luxury item, only for the richest people in the village. And those people are the ones who host the tourists in their homes! Amazing how everything in our lives is just an "extra" compared to these people. It's a good eye opener for Derrick, I believe.
We hiked a total of 28 KM in three days! I loved getting out and being in nature and it feels so good to exercise. Along the way, I met a very nice Vietnamese man named Kien. He was very passionate about learning English, so I spent many hours helping him with pronunciation, phonics, etc. He was also very good looking :) But, what I loved about Kien is that he opened up my eyes to how important learning English is for them. It is a survival tool they need in order to make money. He opened my eyes to how much I have learned how to be an English teacher and how I am looking forward to doing this more, just in a different environment. I have many tools to give and want to give them to the people who need them most. So now, I am on a journey to figure out how to do this. I guess Sister Mary Lee is calling my name again!
I miss you all and hope you are well. Looking forward to returning to the States in June!
Saturday, 6 September 2008
When Broken Glass Floats
| As I chatted with a very close person to me today, I realized where his pain comes from. He swells with pain that comes from the absence of love in his life. The absence of a certain love. A Mother's Love. I believe that there is nothing else of more power than the feelings that eminate from a mother to her child. A Mother's Love fills us, the children, with energy, confidence, HOPE. A feeling that we can achieve all of our greatest dreams. Mother's are the backbone of the world. Without them we are non-existant. A Mother's Love is of the purest form, like mountain water that first sees the sunlight, like a new flowering bud during the first weeks of spring. Mother's Love is powerful, it can make us and break us. When we cannot feel our Mother's Love we are on a constant journey to reach it again. |
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
Sally Sells Seashells
I need someone to pinch me, I must be dreaming. But...I know I am not. As I plop my somewhat overweight body (for Jess that is) onto my beach chair, I am in paradise. I've worked so hard to do this and I am finally reaping the fruits of my labor.
I woke up at 6 AM, ran out my door and headed for a morning walk on the beach. How awesome it is to walk outside on Tuesday morning and have the East China Sea as my backyard. At 8 AM we met our Welsh and New Zealand friends for kayaking. It was fantastic! The water here is so blue and the lush, green mountains shoot right out of it. We kayaked to a small rocky beach where I now have a new collection of the most enormous seashells. I can now officially be Sally who sells seashells at the Seashore!
As I sit on the beach and look out at the cerulean blue waters I wonder to myself, why am I here? I think of Facebook. Each time I log onto Facebook, I see my classmates from HS, living in Dubuque, raising a family and doing the same same. I feel so young at 27, but I am living such a rich lifestyle. Why do I choose this and others don't? Why do they choose to settle down? There is so much to see and experience in this expansive world, I can't understand, but I want to. Let me know your thoughts on this...I keep thinking of it and want to hear others perspectives and ideas. Why do we choose the paths we do? Hmmm....
Well, tomorrow I am off to snorkel, while the others go scuba diving. We are not even half way up the Vietnam coast yet. At least 6 weeks more, so stay tuned if you choose to hear about my travels....keep me posted on your thoughts and ideas of this blog....it keeps me thinking, growing and trying to understand all people's roles in this life. Peace until then.....
I woke up at 6 AM, ran out my door and headed for a morning walk on the beach. How awesome it is to walk outside on Tuesday morning and have the East China Sea as my backyard. At 8 AM we met our Welsh and New Zealand friends for kayaking. It was fantastic! The water here is so blue and the lush, green mountains shoot right out of it. We kayaked to a small rocky beach where I now have a new collection of the most enormous seashells. I can now officially be Sally who sells seashells at the Seashore!
As I sit on the beach and look out at the cerulean blue waters I wonder to myself, why am I here? I think of Facebook. Each time I log onto Facebook, I see my classmates from HS, living in Dubuque, raising a family and doing the same same. I feel so young at 27, but I am living such a rich lifestyle. Why do I choose this and others don't? Why do they choose to settle down? There is so much to see and experience in this expansive world, I can't understand, but I want to. Let me know your thoughts on this...I keep thinking of it and want to hear others perspectives and ideas. Why do we choose the paths we do? Hmmm....
Well, tomorrow I am off to snorkel, while the others go scuba diving. We are not even half way up the Vietnam coast yet. At least 6 weeks more, so stay tuned if you choose to hear about my travels....keep me posted on your thoughts and ideas of this blog....it keeps me thinking, growing and trying to understand all people's roles in this life. Peace until then.....
Friday, 29 August 2008
The Mekong Delta
Wow! What an amazing lifestyle! One river completely shapes the way these people live! The Mekong is a beautiful area, full of traditional Vietnamese people.
We did the tour thing, which just about drove me crazy, but that is kinda how traveling in Vietnam is. But we met interesting people, so that was a benefit. Last night was the best for me. After a long day with the tourist crowd, there were 7 of us who decided to stay at a homestay place. Well, we trampled into a rickety old boat in complete darkness last night and our boat driver took us for a beautiful, awe inspring boat ride down the Mekong. It was fabulous! I haven't seen so many stars in such a long, long time! Beautiful stars, thousands! It was so peaceful and calm. I loved looking into the people's dailyness of life. We were able to peak into the private lives of these people by looking in their windows and doors of the little river shacks they live in. I am just amazed every country I go to, how simple people still live these days. Life doesn't have to be complicated, we make it that way.
The Mekong is their survival. They brush their teeth in it, do their laundry in the dirt brown water, the use it as drinking water, everything! We went to a floating market where everyone just goes grocery shopping from boat to boat. We also took the "classic ride" down the Mekong. The picturesque ride of an old person rowing you down in a traditional boat in an canal of trees and nothing else could be seen. I was loving it. And just like that it was over. As they dropped us off at our bigger boat, the beautiful, "tradional" scene was then over, as the old people whipped on the motors of their boats and took off to do the same tourist trap ride! Ha Ha! I could do nothing more than just laugh at this scene!
Next we are headed off to DaLat, Vietnam. I don't know what we will find, but hopefully some scooters to rent and some peace and quite. Hope you all are well, take care and I miss you!
We did the tour thing, which just about drove me crazy, but that is kinda how traveling in Vietnam is. But we met interesting people, so that was a benefit. Last night was the best for me. After a long day with the tourist crowd, there were 7 of us who decided to stay at a homestay place. Well, we trampled into a rickety old boat in complete darkness last night and our boat driver took us for a beautiful, awe inspring boat ride down the Mekong. It was fabulous! I haven't seen so many stars in such a long, long time! Beautiful stars, thousands! It was so peaceful and calm. I loved looking into the people's dailyness of life. We were able to peak into the private lives of these people by looking in their windows and doors of the little river shacks they live in. I am just amazed every country I go to, how simple people still live these days. Life doesn't have to be complicated, we make it that way.
The Mekong is their survival. They brush their teeth in it, do their laundry in the dirt brown water, the use it as drinking water, everything! We went to a floating market where everyone just goes grocery shopping from boat to boat. We also took the "classic ride" down the Mekong. The picturesque ride of an old person rowing you down in a traditional boat in an canal of trees and nothing else could be seen. I was loving it. And just like that it was over. As they dropped us off at our bigger boat, the beautiful, "tradional" scene was then over, as the old people whipped on the motors of their boats and took off to do the same tourist trap ride! Ha Ha! I could do nothing more than just laugh at this scene!
Next we are headed off to DaLat, Vietnam. I don't know what we will find, but hopefully some scooters to rent and some peace and quite. Hope you all are well, take care and I miss you!
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