Ubud, Bali: Health Mecca

I arrived in Bali at the end of June.  I was on a late flight coming in and didn't arrive in Ubud until about 1am.  I was lucky to find On's Bed & Breakfast at that hour and I ended up staying there for the duration of my time in Ubud. The owners were sweet, and super helpful with everything.  One of them even brought me to the local banjar to ask for my mysteriously missing package in the mail, but I digress... I can easily say this is one of the most unique places I have visited.  I was a bit skeptical at first when I saw the Ashtanga Center was in a inland city (I was expecting the beach) and wondered if there was going to be anything going on there at all.  I had no idea! Ubud has everything and anything you could imagine and the food is amazing!  Organic, vegetarian, vegan, raw, and gluten free dishes are standard in many restaurants - it is so easy to be healthy here.  There are endless options for every type of yoga and massage you can think of, and various other alternative healing therapies readily available from singing circles to writing groups.


I started yoga the next day despite my late arrival.  Little did I know I was in for another surprise.  I've been practicing standard Vinyassa flow yoga since college and though I was well prepared for my one month intensive practice.  Well, it could have been worse (if I had never done any yoga at all!)  It turned out to be exactly what I was looking for, which was to learn the skills neccesary to develop an everyday self practice.  Funny thing was I did not realize that Mysore style Ashtanga was a self led class. Probably should have done a bit more reading on this before I showed up but luckily I landed in the right place :)

As you can see, (we didn't) they are
already trying to eat the seat!

I had quite the scooter experience in Ubud.  First, let me explain about riding a scooter in Asia, whatever you do don't think about what you are doing!  This is the #1 reason foreigners get into accidents.  Because everyone else on the road is thinking about everything and anything but driving.  Especially in Bali, where you frequently see someone eating, talking on their cell phone, and carrying a baby all while operating a two wheeled vehicle. And if you are lucky there will be 2-3 passengers.  Did I mention they drive on the wrong side of the road as well?  If you are going to overcome the challenge of riding a scooter in Bali, keep this advice in mind: drive slow, trust your instinct (unless it's telling you to stay to the right!) and never forget that the larger (more dangerous) vehicle and/or driver always have the right of way!  Anyways, my scooter story has nothing to do with driving because I wasn't even on it when this incident occurred.  I was staying near the Sacred Monkey Forest, a popular tourist spot in Ubud and had to drive through the foot path on my way in and out of town.  On the way, I saw my yogi friend Sue and stopped to say hello.  

Now, I know you that if you dont want trouble with monkeys you dont feed them but in this instance I chose to ignore my better instincts and decided that we had strength in numbers. (Yea right there were two of us and dozens of them!) As soon as I reached for the bag containing the rest of my fruit salad lunch they were all over the place.  Our reaction was scream, laugh, and take pictures, in that order.  Until we wanted to get going and realized the monkeys were really interested in my scooter, in fact they started baring their teeth at us when we tried to even get close to it.  Then one ran off with the helmet.  And then we realized they were eating the seat cushion. Now I know why people put bricks on their seats when they park in here. And WHY didn't the scooter rental guy tell me this! After a lot more screaming, running away, and enlisting the help of some foreign males (the Balinese were too busy laughing to help) we did regain possession of the scooter and helmet, minus the half eaten seat cushion. The scooter company was not happy with us.

One Hundred Days of Travel

Max Brenner Chocolate Shop

Everyone should travel alone once. I think experiencing freedom from our daily responsibilities to others, to time, and to our own schedules is rejuvenating. Today, that meant aimlessly wandering around Singapore and not worrying that I forgot my watch because I had no where to be. Sometimes I get bored of travelling alone, but there's always new people to meet in every place you go. I have one hundred days of travel left before returning home. I often use a day calculator to estimate my per-day spending budget when traveling. Better to save now and spend later than be eating crackers for a month at the end of my trip.

Singapore is fairly easy to get around. I found a green hostel on the internet, so of course I had to check it out. It's called Tree In Lodge and has a great central location.

The Fantastic Popsicle Chocolate Fondue

The city is very aesthetic although I get the feeling that I might get fined for walking on the grass or crossing the street before the walk light turns green! For readers unfamiliar with politics here there are very strict laws about everything from chewing gum and smoking in public to mandatory death sentencing for drug traffickers. The result is an efficient city with virtually no unemployment or poverty. (And I haven't seen any stray cats or dogs either!)

I could not resist the temptation of dessert at the Max Brenner Chocolate Shop.

The Visayas

Two weeks was just enough time to relax and dive in Cebu. We decided not to go to Bohol because it looked pretty expensive comparatively.

Our first destination was Malapacua island. After a long intercontinental flight from Paris to Bahrain to Manila we continued on to Cebu city and finally arrived in Maya around 11pm. As expected there were no public boats going to the island at that hour and when we saw two guys arranging an overpriced 'special trip' on a boat that looked like it might sink we chose to spend the night and go in the morning. Total saved: 1500 pesos plus the possibility of swimming if the boat didn't make it.

We only spent three nights in Malapascua, since we hadn't decided how many other places we would visit afterward. It was a quiet, laid back island and I wouldn't have minded staying another night.

The diving was our best yet - I saw a white tip shark that was sleeping under a rock and we were successful in seeing Thrusher sharks as well. (This is the main reason divers go to Malapascua) additionally, we had our first wreck dive which was awesome but I had terrible air consumption due to being overweighted and overexcited during the dive. Our dive shop was Evolution and I would highly recommend them. Great price and the guides were very thorough and experienced.

Moal Boal wasn't bad but there was way too much concrete for my liking. We did see a big manta ray at Pedcador Island and lots of sea turtles as well. Our last few days we rented a bike so we were able to get a but further from the town and drove along the coast which was beautiful.

A hidden gem in Paris

If there is one thing the French are great at it's cooking (and eating!).  There are many places in Paris where you can enjoy traditional French cuisine, especially at the sidewalk cafes.  But my favorite place we ate all week was at L'Entrecôte near the Champs-Élysées.  When we mentioned we were heading to the area for dinner our apartment manager tipped us off about this place.  She warned us to arrive before 8:30pm.  We arrived at 7:30 and were promptly seated.  Shortly after a waitress dressed in the traditional french attire of black and white asked us how we would like our steak cooked and brought us salads of greens and walnuts.  They are so well known for their contre-filet that they don't even present a menu.  And just when you think it's over they refill your plate with another serving!  If you find yourself in Paris craving a steak this place is not to be missed.  Just don't tell too many people ... the line was around the block by the time we left.

On a side note, I am a big supporter of the vegetarian lifestyle and think meat should be eaten sparingly, but I don't feel bad about a changing it up every once in awhile either.  Think of it as being a Flexitarian.  Good for your health, good for the planet, and good karma :)

Check out the website of L'Entrecôte by clicking here.

Insider tip: Locals know to eat at the one on Rue Marbeuf.

Another delicacy I couldn't get enough of.
I made sure to try as many varieties of Macaroons as possible!

Great museums, long lines

Paris is of course, amazing.  There are so many beautiful historical buildings that have been very well kept up and the museums are fantastic. Unsurprisingly I have been eating way too much bread and pastries!  But, the lines!  If you visit Paris be prepared, you will wait in line for everything.  To buy a drink, to use the toilet, and for every museum and tourist attraction you visit.  The French do not rush.  That said, there are a few things you can do to avoid wasting too much time getting tired in the sun.  Did I mention you'll be waiting in all these lines in the sun?  First, get there early, as in before they open.  Second, consider buying either the Museum Pass or the Paris Pass, the latter of which we had.  These passes wont get you out of every line but they do help a lot and are a pretty good value if you use them in enough places.

View from the Luxumberg Gardens, taken this afternoon.

Dinner Friday night, near our apartment.

We've been here for 10 days and have seen a lot of the city.  Today we walked around the 6th arrondissement and ate lots of delicious food there.  Asia has really rubbed off on me because I always find myself wanting to take pictures of food now when I travel.  Tomorrow is our last full day in the city so we'll try to squeeze in the last few things we'd like to do. We have been very lucky with the weather here - lots of sun all week so far!

A few more suggestions if you'll be traveling in the area.  Say hello!  This is a big one here and if you can manage a few words of French when you greet someone your service will improve 200%.  Also, don't miss the Musée de l'Orangerie.  They have two large oval rooms containing Monet's beautiful water lily paintings.

My Mom and I before the tour of Opéra Garnier.

Leaving Taiwan was a bit of a mad rush the last day, because although I was very organized and started preparing to leave more than a month ahead I seriously underestimated the amount of things I had to wrap up before departing.  And in the end I missed my flight and wasn't allowed to bring any luggage on the plane!  So, I'll be going back for a visit in the fall to collect my tax refund and the rest of my stuff.

After Paris, I'm heading to the Visayas which will mark the beginning of a four month backpacking trip around Asia.  Two summers ago I did a similar trip but did not have time to visit all the countries on my list.  This time around I'll be heading to the Philippines, Singapore, Bali, Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and finally India.  Im looking forward to diving the South Pacific, yoga in Bali, and volunteering at Navdanya near the Himalayas in northern India.

Backpacking Essentials

It's pretty ironic that I am blogging about packing, because when I studied abroad in Florence I brought three large rolling duffles and additional baggage totaling over 200lbs!  I could not even make it off the train platform until one of my friends arrived to help me.  To make matters worse, I vacuum packed everything so it was even harder to get it all home.  One lesson I have learned (the hard way) is how to pack.  It is possible to pack light and fit everything you need along with some comfort items!  You should be able to walk at minimum of 30 minutes carrying your fully packed backpack.

You dont want to end up like these guys ...

What to bring, and what to leave at home ...

Choosing a backpack. I recommend buying your pack online.  Websites like backcountry or sierra trading post are a good place to start looking.  I have even ordered multiple bags and then mailed back the ones I didn't like.  Personally, I look for a bag that has an access zipper to the main compartment because I think it is easier to stay organized that way.  Look for something you will be comfortable living out of and carrying for the next month, or year.  Another easy way to organize your pack is with stuff sacks or dry bags.  These little bags are relatively inexpensive, come in all different sizes, and some will protect your stuff even if they are submerged in water. Also, consider a dry pack cover to protect form the elements and theft.

A rain jacket. It rains everywhere, invest in a jacket appropriate for the climate! At home you can sprint to your car and drive away, but when you're backpacking you spend a lot more time walking to and from and will be outdoors much more in general.  You should be able to get away with only one item of outerwear, two at the most if you are traveling in colder areas.

A variety of clothing that is easily layered and will dry quickly. Sorry guys, but this is a little bias towards women.  A few weeks before any trip I start to put aside clothing items Im planning on bringing.  This avoids chaotic packing at the last minute.  Tops and bottoms should match the majority of items you choose.  Don't bring anything that requires a specific article of clothing to go with it.

I avoid bringing too many pairs of shorts because many cultures do not wear them and they are less versatile than capris.  I generally bring one or two dresses (if you wear them) for warmer climates because they are comfortable and will keep you cool.  I suggest 5-6 bottoms, and 7-9 tops, that way you can get away with doing laundry about every other week.

My advice is not to bring anything white, light colored clothing turns grey when you wash it with the rest of your (very dirty) clothing.  A specific article of clothing I recommend is a pair of black leggings.  I often wear them when hiking to protect my legs from bugs, plants, and the sun and they are also great to sleep in or layer under a skirt.  Skip something specifically for sleeping because it's not an efficient use of space if you can't wear it during the day.

1-2 bathing suits. Unless you are going to Antarctica, bring them.  I have made the mistake of not bringing one (who needs a bathing suit in land locked Bolivia?) and finding out the hard way that a bathing suit may be the most difficult thing to purchase in a foreign country.  These can double as shorts or underware, and they are so small you can let your self splurge and bring two :)

Sunblock and bugspray. As mentioned above, expect to be outside in the elements for the majority of the day (and at night if you're camping).  Effective sunscreen and bug repellant can be hard to find and/or very expensive in other countries for a variety of reasons - most often because the locals dont use it.  So stock up at home and bring it with you.

Earth friendly water bottle. Even if you never use this at home, it will come in handy while traveling.  Many places will allow you to fill it up for free and it can be easilly attached to your pack with a mini carabiner.  I recommend the 27 oz Kleen Kanteen.

Expensive electronics. With the exception of a DSLR camera or electronic reader, leave these at home.  You don't need your laptop when you're traveling.  International phones are expensive (think $2-$3 per minute) and if staying in hostels it can be difficult to find a place to charge your stuff without worrying about someone stealing it.  Getting robbed is no fun, but sometimes you can't avoid it.  That's why you should leave all non-essential valuables at home! Rule of thumb here: if you would be upset to lose it, don't bring it. If you must bring something (mp3 player, reader, etc) choose one that gets wifi, this way you can stay connected without carrying too much.

Pack Towel. It's definately worth buying one of these.  Look for one that has soft, quick-drying fabric and an antimicrobial treatment to help prevent mold.

Basic First Aid Kit. You can buy band aids in pretty much every country, but if you need medical supplies it is much easier if you already have a small supply in your pack instead of having to locate the nearest pharmacy and purchase everything asap. You can easily make this from stuff your probably already have at home:  variety of different size band aids, antibiotic ointment, antibacterial wipes, medical tape, gauze, benadryl, ibuprofen, imodium.

Comfortable bedding. If you can squeeze one more item in your pack, this is it.  Whether it be a small travel pillow, an easilly foldable sheet or blanket, a hammock, or a sleep sack - pick one of the above and bring it along.  Bus rides can be cold if the ac is blasting or you're driving thourght the mountains and although most hostels provide some type of bedding you never know what you'll get or how clean it will be.  These items come in handy for last minute camping as well!

Books. If you read a lot and/or are traveling solo go ahead and bring a few.  Many hostels have book exchanges and most travelers are willing to swap as long as you've got something interesting.  English bookstores are hard to find in some places (and usually expensive) but places frequented by backpackers often accept trades.

Shoes. I find this item to be one of the most difficult choices when packing.  Shoes take up a lot of space, but are one of the most important items because you will be on your feet all day, everyday.  If you will be doing a lot of trekking bring hiking shoes.  Tie them on the outside of your pack or use a stuff sack if necessary.  For women, Land's End makes a variety of durable and comfortable mary jane style shoes.  These types of shoes are great because you can wear them for light hiking, city walking, and even with a casual dress or skirt.  If you bring flip flops along with something like these you should be set.  You do not need more than three pairs of shoes.  Depending on what else you might be doing, bring a pair of flats or a second pair of flip flops that are a bit dressier.  If you cant comfortably walk two miles in it don't bring it.

Anything that plugs into the wall for your hair. Leave it at home.  When your new friends at the hostel invite you out for drinks at the bar and you tell them you need to blow dry your hair they will probably laugh at you.  Chances are it will break when you plug it into the wall anyways.  Think no more than fifteen minutes to get ready, and you'll be in a dorm full of 20 people, probably without a mirror.  Bring a few items of makeup but leave the hair stuff at home with your high heels.  They take up a lot of space and stilettos and unpaved roads to not mix.

But what will I wear to the club/bar/disco? The solution here is to bring (or buy while you're traveling) one or two nicer shirts and pair them with something you're already bringing or bring a necklace to dress something else up.  I try to bring a dressier top that is not revealing, or that can be worn under something else during the day.  Jewelry is small and easily packed so even if you only dress up once or twice it's easier than bringing a whole new outfit or a pair of heels. Just don't bring anything too flashy or valuable.

Easily purchased items (and relatively inexpensive) in every country I've been to: clothing, sunglasses, purses/bags, flip flops, headphones, any and all toiletries.

Difficult to find or expensive when you do: sunblock, bugspray, sport/outdoor clothing and accessories (brands like North Face, Nike, etc).

That's all I've got for now :)
Feel free to add your own packing and travel tips in the comments!

It's so cool what you're doing, but I could never ...

A lot of people ask how I finance traveling, and are curious about teaching abroad in Asia. The most common response when I talk to people about my experiences traveling is wow that's so cool, I wish I could do it! Well, what's stopping you?

You're scared.

So is everyone else. The unknown makes everyone nervous, but that's what makes it exciting too! And if you want to travel you probably are looking forward to something different so get over it :D

You don't speak another language.

Luckily for us English speakers our language is spoken by people all over the world, which is kind of ironic because Americans do less international travel than all other developed countries. There is such a high demand for English teachers in Asia because everyone is learning it. Many people in cities speak some English and there is always someone around to help translate. It doesn't hurt to learn some of the local language as well.

You have no savings or are unemployed.

How are you living? Can you save $100-$200 a month? Cut back wherever you can, and book your flight on a credit card. If you work at least 25 hours a week you'll have your flight paid off in a month and can start saving. The cost of living (especially housing expenses and food) is extremely cheap here and you will be getting paid the equivalent of a US salary.

What will you do with your stuff?

Get rid of it! How much is it worth? What will it cost you to put everything in storage? You could probably buy new furniture for the cost of storing it. Sell everything you can bear to part with and ask a friend or relative to store a few boxes of your personal items or look for a super cheap and small storage unit.

How will you meet people?

You're not the only person going to Asia to teach English! Make friends with other teachers at your school, take a yoga class, join a gym, or do one of the many other activities available in your city and if you notice another foreigner on the street just say "Hello" you already have something in common with them :)

How will you find an apartment?

Most real estate agencies like foreigners because they know you're coming here to work and will probably pay your rent on time. Every country is different, but generally you can contact an agency before you arrive or right away when you get there and they will show you a variety of furnished apartments to choose from. You can easily find a place within one week. Then you just need a cell phone and a bike and you're ready to work! Check out cheap hostels online before you go - also a good way to meet people.

How will you find a job?

The easiest way is to pay an agency to find you one before you go. They will negotiate salary and hours for you ahead of time. You can also just go and visit schools when you arrive. Realistically, allow at least 2 weeks to find a school and start working. Often it is easy to find subbing hours immediately.  This will also allow you to get an idea of what it's like to work at different schools - there is a very wide range of expectations of foreign employees in Asia. Most schools will help you through the visa process. Many communities in Asia have message boards where you can look for jobs for free. The two I have used frequently in Taiwan are Kaohsiung Living and Forumosa.

Now, what are you waiting for? ;)

My afternoon class at Live ABC, L4-K

Diving

The last two weekends I was down in Kenting completing my PADI Open Water Course for scuba diving.  It took three days and now I am officially certified to dive.  The first day we were in the pool so it wasn't that exciting but by the third day we were out in the ocean having a look around and I did not want to get out of the water! Probably sounds familiar to those who could never get me out of the water when I was younger ;)

We had great weather both weekends and the ocean isnt very cold here.  Im looking forward to the next diving adventure!

This was the first time I've really used my camera underwater, I had it in a waterproof bag so it took awhile to get the hang of taking clear pictures.

Then I didn't write for six months

I recovered fully from my injury and then got super busy and six months disappeared in what felt like overnight.  Blogging has definitely made me more aware of time, in a positive way.  So, I came home for a visit, which was possibly the best two weeks spent all summer, and now I'm back in Asia for about a year.  Today is our last day in our old apartment.  One roommate is leaving and I'm ready to live in a new part of the city.  Deidre and I put a lot of effort into finding a new place and it totally paid off!  Our new place is smaller, but we've got a pool, reading room, and yoga room in the building :)

The summer flew by, but luckily the weather doesn't really get cool here until December.  I'm not working such a busy schedule in the fall which has given me a much needed break and I've got a lot to look forward to in the next few months!  I'm still taking Chinese classes, which I'm really enjoying and being able to communication easily is making life here much more convenient.  Next week, I'm transitioning to oil painting (from drawing) in my art class.  In the past I've only experimented with acrylics and watercolors and Im looking forward to learning a new medium.  In November I'm doing the PADI Open Water Course (finally!) which Im psyched about because I've been wanting to scuba dive for years and haven't had the money/gotten around to taking the course.

Recently, I decided to get rid of my facebook account.  I've wanted to for awhile, but I always thought it was an important tool to keep in touch with people - especially because I'm living abroad.  I realized, that 95% of the time I spend on facebook is not actually spent keeping in touch with close friends, and that Skype is a much more meaningful way to stay in contact.  So, for awhile at least I wont be using facebook.  Skype is a free program that lets you call or video chat with other users.  It's the primary way I stay in touch with my parents and it works great.  Check it out, and if you want to set up a skype date send me an e-mail!

Unfortunate Accidents

Another eventful few weeks in the Far East ... At the end of our Wednesday night soccer practice I managed to trip and fall while running backwards to receive a pass which resulted in a broken wrist :(

I was not happy, and attempted to keep playing because I didn't think it was broken but realized I couldn't even run it hurt so much.  I've been pretty lucky and have never broken a bone before so of course I had the completely irrational "it will never happen to me" mentality about getting injured.  After a 3am trip to the emergency room followed by three more days in the hospital I was on my way to recovery with six pins stabilizing my wrist and a robot arm looking contraption.  Hospitals in Taiwan are an interesting experience, one I would have preferred not to have.  All the doctors speak English (their medical classes are in English) but a lot of them aren't comfortable actually communicating with a foreigner.  In addition, Taiwanese pretty much blindly trust the hospital staff and don't ask questions.  When I came out of surgery and the anesthesia wore off I completely freaked out.  They had told me they were going to use pins, but had referred to the operation as "external fixation" which I assumed was a cast.  But when I woke up this is what I saw!

In the end, it's much better than a cast.  There is no risk of the bones healing abnormally or my wrist joint collapsing which can happen with a cast.  They expect I wont have any problems with my wrist in the future, which is a good thing because I dont plan on giving up glassblowing ;)

The doctor just gave me the okay to start running and training for soccer and I was pretty glad to hear that.  This weekend I am going on a visa run to the Philippines, so I'll have a little time to relax before getting back into everything.  I was hoping to get certified to dive on this trip but that will have to wait since my arm can't get wet.

Things have been going well at Melody (the publishing company).  I really like working there and it's been nice to have a break from teaching.  Working in a quiet office feels like a vacation compared to teaching at my preschool.  I've decided that I'm going to take a break from teaching after my injury until I find a school that will give me full time hours and my ARC. At Melody, I've been doing a lot of voice over, recording in English, and here I am at work.

Are you viewing this post as an imported note on Facebook?  Click on "View Original Post" to see more pictures on my blog.

The Escapades continue

I had my second art class this past weekend, and I am so glad to be getting back into drawing and painting.  On the downside, I've been thinking about how much I miss glassblowing and how excited I am to see the Chihuly exhibit that's coming to the MFA in Boston. Luckily (or unluckily) the last day of the exhibit is the day after I come home so you know where I'll be that day!  I'm a little concerned that it will be really crowded with people trying to see the exhibition last minute but we'll see what happens - its still about 5 months away.

Soccer (which I will now be referring to as football after being harassed by the team) has been going great, I realized the other night that I have not done a soccer drill since I played in college and I have really lost my touch since then.  The training is good though, because I haven't had the chance to play competitively in a long time and hopefully it will come back to me sooner rather than later. I've been running to the nearby beach at night in an attempt to get back into shape a little faster and it has become one of my favorite places to chill out  after a long day.

We had a long weekend because Tuesday was tomb sweeping day.  There was a large music festival going on in Kenting, the southern most city in Taiwan so we drove down there Friday night when Adriana got off work.  We ended up camping because all of the hotels were full but I was happy about that because I am not a fan of wasting money on a hotel when camping is dirt cheap! We met some of our friends who went down earlier from the university and had a good group.  The weekend was lots of fun, they had electronic DJs playing music on the beach all night and we had a great time.  I dont think I've had such little sleep since college. J

Now, its back to the work week but I am looking forward to my upcoming weekend in the Philippines later this month!!

Baisha Bay

A weekend in Malaysia

I recently had to do a "visa run".  Which means leave the country and come back to automatically extend my visa for another 60 days.  At first, I saw this as a big inconvenience, but now I realize this is actually a blessing in disguise.  Who wouldn't want a unexpected weekend at the beach?!  This is the first time I've had to do this, because last time I already had plans to go home for Christmas.  I had been putting off booking my flight because I didn't really know where I wanted to go and wasn't excited about paying for airfare.  I ended up in Kota Kinabalu (the cheapest place Air Asia flies from Taipei).

Malaysia has the best sunsets I've seen anywhere in the world

My long weekend turned out better than expected. I found a cheap place to stay (about $10/night) and started reading about KK so I could figure out the best way to spend my 3 days there.  It turns out there is a collection of islands just off the coast that make up a national park.  You can catch a ferry in the morning to the island of your choice and swim, snorkel, and hike during the day.  I wish I had more time to get to some of the places outside of the city, but I can always go back sometime in the future.

Relaxing on the beach I discovered... no tourists here!

Things have not slowed down at all since Chinese New Year.  My roommate pirated a copy of the Rosetta Stone so we've both been trying to do it every day.  Initially I had hoped to learn Chinese, but I have lost motivation a bit because it's so difficult.  I'm still doing a weekly language exchange, but I'm probably learning more about Taiwanese culture from my language partner than actually learning the language.  I have been using the Rosetta Stone to keep up with my Spanish however!

One of my friends here owns an art gallery and this weekend I started a drawing and painting class there.  I've taken some art courses at home, but they tend to be expensive and I've decided to take advantage of as many classes as I can while I'm here because they're much cheaper.  In the winter I took a French class at the association where my roommate teaches, and I'm thinking of enrolling in one of their summer courses as well.

I also started playing soccer this past weekend with a group of expats in a league, finally!  I was on the fence about bringing my soccer stuff to Taiwan and I'm really glad I did.  I've been playing on and off when I've been home but I really miss playing competitively on a team.  The day after the first practice just sitting down was a challenge but I haven't forgotten how quickly sore muscles recover.  They practice twice a week and I would need to be selected to play in the league, but regardless of whether I end up playing in the official games or not I'm happy just to be kicking a ball around again!

Formosa Road Trip

One of our campsites, a baseball field

The past few weeks have definitely been the busiest since I've come to Asia!  Melanie arrived right before Chinese New Year and we went on an east coast road trip that involved one scooter with the two of us and all our camping gear!  The weather was perfect (it never rained!) and we were lucky to find free places to camp each night.  We started out crossing over the mountains and heading north on highway 11 up to Hualien.  Midweek we arrived at Taroko National Park and set up camp there for two nights.  On the way back, we took highway 9 south and crossed back over to the west coast to Kaohsiung.

Taking pictures in a random field of flowers on the side of the road

The week was awesome, and I was really glad I had the chance to see the east coast - it was beautiful!  I have so many pictures and I'll be posting them soon.  After we got back from our road trip, we had a few days in Kaohsiung before we left for Green Island (Lu Dao).  It's the smaller of the two islands located off the east coast near Taitung.  Sophie (my roommate)  also had a friend visiting from France so a small group of us set off for the weekend.  We drove to Taitung and took a ferry from there.  In the past few years my travels have included many boats of varying degrees of comfort.  The ferry to Green Island was hands down the absolute worst.  It's nickname is the barf barge and for good reason.  Now, before we took the ferry everyone told me it was bad, even the writer of LP Taiwan said it was terrible.  But, of course my response was "Ive taken ferries, boats, and canoes all over the world!  It cant be that bad!"  Well, it was!  There were trash cans in every aisle and big packages of plastic bags hanging from each seat.  I only made it through the first 40 minutes of the one hour ride.  I even attempted taking motion sickness medication before we left, but all it did was make me feel drugged, and it clearly didn't help so I wont be taking that again.

Us on the scooter in Taroko National Park

Nonetheless, Green Island was very nice, and we had a good time.  They have one of the few saltwater hot springs in the world and the facilities were great.  There were numerous pools of varying temperatures and you could also walk down to the ocean and go in directly where the source of the hot spring was. There was even a boiling spring where you could cook your food!

During the rest of Melanie's time here I was part tour guide and part tourist again which was fun.  I've realized that there are still a lot of things I haven't done in Taiwan and hope to spend more time seeing new parts of my city and the country before I leave.  It's so easy to get stuck in your day to day routine!

I was lucky to have a friend from home here in Taiwan to celebrate my birthday.  A group of us got dinner at Brickyard and then hung out there for the rest of the night.  I had an awesome time!  I hadn't been to Brickyard for awhile and they have fantastic food.  My family sent cards and presents so even though I wasn't at home with everyone to celebrate I knew everyone was wishing me a happy birthday.  Thanks to everyone who made it special!

Super Fun! Starring Yours Truly

We are fostering two very photogenic cats :)

This weekend I filmed an educational series with Melody Publishing (the company that owns my preschool).  It was a good experience, but it was really hard!  Twelve hours of filming is not easy on the feet haha.  Actors definitely have their work cut our for them, and I am most certainly not cut our for the field (I was terrible at memorizing my lines).  But all and all it was fun, and I got paid to do it :) I'll be bringing a copy of the DVDs home with me so you'll all get a chance to have a good laugh.

Lulu and Momo

I'm still working at a preschool and an after-school program, but my afternoon school has changed. The place I used to teach at, Shane Schools was really terrible.  I won't bore you with all the details ... but being a foreign worker can be problematic and difficult sometimes and some schools just make it worse.  The biggest problem I had with working for Shane was that the management was awful and they were completely disorganized.  But, I like my new school a lot, and it's closer to my house!

Our new roommate Adriana also moved in this week.  Now there are three of us girls living in the apartment but I think things will go smoothly because we all get along really well.  Sophie and I each have a friend coming to visit at the same time so January will be a busy (and crowded) month.

I've also just started reading a book a friend sent me, Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.  It's an amazing book and I haven't been able to put it down.  You can find it on Amazon here.  Highly recommended!!

South Korea

One of my 2011 resolutions is to blog more often so why not get the ball rolling?  I'm at Incheon International Airport in South Korea waiting for my connection to Taipei.  This is by far the nicest airport I've ever been to and I've probably visited 100+ airports in my travels.  No surprise that it is consecutively rated the top airport in the world by Airports Council International!

So, what makes the difference when you're traveling?

Here's a few things I noticed about Incheon during my layover ...

• The chairs don't have armrests.  Such a small detail but having the option to stretch out and sleep comfortably during a long layover is essential!
• Free Wifi and free electric outlet adaptors
• Free city tours for transit passengers, leaving during the day and at night
• Korean Cultural Experience Centers: mini museums in various locations where you can check out Korean art, practice calligraphy, listen to traditional music, and other cool stuff.
• Airport construction:  I didn't leave the departures area,  but it's obvious that a lot of planning went into the innovative design of the airport. In addition to ample seating, tables, and outlets near each gate; the moving walkway (which was very busy) was separated from these areas by the line of stores and restaurants.  This layout created a quite corridor behind the shops where the gate seating was so that you don't even notice you're in one of the busiest transport hubs in the world.

I hope to get a chance to come back to South Korea to visit my roommate from Roger Williams who is also teaching English in Asia for a year.  The plane is about to take off and it  looks like there will be breakfast on my 1 hour flight to Taiwan :)  Glad to know I'll be flying the same airline on my way home this summer!

Home for the Holidays

I ♥ snow

It was a busy week in Boston.  I ended up getting seven days out of my vacation (instead of six) because my flight to JFK was cancelled at the last minute.  Simple version of the story, JetBlue has some serious organizational problems but at least I got to complain about them on the 10 o'clock news :)

I decided to take the Amtrak Acela train to NYC instead of trying to get on an overbooked flight at the airport so Im officially on my way back to Taiwan. It's pretty convenient if you can get on one of the cheaper trains and they have free internet for the whole ride.  I finished watching The Stoning of Soraya M. which was a great movie, but disturbing when you think about all the women for whom this is their reality.

The week was short but I got to see lots of friends and family. The blizzard didn't stop our holiday dinner at The Independent either!  We've kept up the tradition for over 10 years now.  It seems like it's gotten even warmer in Taiwan so Im looking forward to some nice weather when I return.  I'll probably be exhausted by the time I arrive on Friday but I'll have a few hours to recover before our new year's eve party :)

The Independent, Somerville

Weekend Adventures

I have been completely neglecting my blog. The good thing is that I'm having too much fun to spend any more time on the computer than I have to.  -_-   I've started working at a preschool in Dalaio (in addition to my after school classes) which is about 45 minutes away from my house on the MRT.  I dont really mind taking the train everyday because it gives me a lot of time to read.  I've finished some great books in the past few weeks and here are my reviews:

Little Bee,  Chris Cleave - A novel about a Nigerian refugee seeking asylum in England.  I couldn't put this book down!

Dead Aid, Dambisa Moyo - A very interesting book about the economic situation in Africa and the negative effects of foreign aid. Highly recommended for anyone interested in international economics or who has or is thinking of donating money or traveling to Africa.

Blessed Unrest, Paul Hawkin - A collection of information about the "largest social justice movement in history", an inspirational story worth reading - especially if you work in the field of social services.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kim Edwards - Not a happy go lucky novel, but I really liked it.

Bel Canto, Ann Patchet - I really enjoyed this novel.  The writing style is unique and you definately get drawn into the characters lives and feelings.

Happy reading!  J


I'll be home for Christmas in just a few days and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone.  Hopefully I will have time to post some more pictures of Taiwan.  I have taken a few weekend road trips with my friend from Canada, Adriana and another one of our Taiwanese friends.  We've been to Tainan, Ja-yi, Taichung, Sun Moon Lake, and Alishan Mountain.  It's been lots of fun!  Melanie will be coming to visit for a month so there will be lots more trips coming up!  I'm tutoring a lot now but luckilly I have Saturday nights - Monday afternoons off :)

Sun Moon Lake

Taiwan and Hong Kong

It has been way to long since I've updated the blog!  Things have been quite busy since I arrived in Taiwan but now I have been here for a little over one month.  My flight on the way here was awful ... the first segment was delayed which resulted in having to rebook the rest of my flights and in the end it took three days to get here from Boston :/

But, since I've arrived everything has been great.  Sophie and I found an apartment quickly and were able to move in just a few days later.  We get along really well and I am grateful for no roommate drama!  I've started working at Shane School in the evenings but unfortunately until December I only have 8 hours per week of classes.  I've also been tutoring, which I really enjoy.  Next week I will be interviewing at preschools to pick up some extra hours in the mornings.

Hong Kong Park

Last weekend I went to Hong Kong to sort out my visa (my original one was almost expired) and I ended up staying for three days because I also had to have extra pages added to my passport.  Note to fellow travelers - this service is no longer free!  Apparently they started charging $82 this June which is really annoying.  HK was really cool, it sort of reminded me of New York - except much more diverse, if you can believe that's possible.  During the course of my stay I heard at least 15 different languages being spoken just in my building alone!

HK also looks like a city from the future.  There are layers upon layers of bridges for cars and as a pedestrian you almost never walk on the ground level.  There are raised pedestrian walkways and bridges connecting all of the buildings.  The architecture is very unique and futuristic as well, and the funny thing is that they also have parks everywhere, so sometimes you don't even feel like you are in a city. HK was a fantastic place to visit - probably one of the most interesting cities in Asia that I have been to.

Under the Tuscan Sun

When we left Rome we rented a car to drive through Tuscany to our apartment in Loro Ciuffenna.  It was a charming town with the typical small, winding, Italian streets.  We stayed there for a week and took day trips to Florence, Siena, Arezzo, Cortona, Castelina and the Chianti area.  Between the steep hills, our standard car and the occasionally inaccurate maps I think we did pretty good navigating our way around Tuscany.

I was very excited to visit Florence again, and it was the first time I had been back since studying there in college.  Firenze has always been one of my favorite cities because it is not too large and very easy to walk around. Kindof like Boston! :)  I took my parents to the sandwich shop that used to know my roommates and I by name because we ate there so often and the panini were just as delicious as I remembered.

Here I am on the Ponte Vecchio, down the street from where I used to live.

We have eaten at some incredible restaurants while we’ve been here.  I had been expecting the food to be more expensive (it costs about $1.30 dollar to buy 1 Euro) but most of out dinners have averaged between 50EU and 80EU for the three of us.  At home, I dislike eating out mainly because I am quite picky when it comes to where I will eat.  I prefer restaurants that cook with local products; which is nearly impossible to find at home and I don’t like spending $30 for an entrée, which eliminates most of the choices.  There has not been one dish I have eaten here that was subpar and I have also mostly been eating vegetarian dishes!  *With some exceptions, more on this later.  The food has been fantastic, and most of the menus actually indicated the few items that are not locally sourced versus an American meal, which is usually entirely comprised of food flown in all over the world.  I have to say you can really taste the difference; the food here tastes fresh as if it had just been picked from someone’s garden (it probably was). 

I waited an extra 15 minutes for this chocolate souffle because it was home made and it was well worth it :D

Hopefully the local food movement will take off in the Boston area sometime soon.  Until then I will have to stick with The Independent (my current favorite restaurant – located in Union Square).  Some of you may wonder, why eat vegetarian in Italy of all places?!  I’m not completely abstaining from meat, but I am trying to reduce my consumption as much as possible in an effort to start eating a healthier diet.  I recently finished reading In Defense of Food by Michal Pollen, which I highly recommend; and it has really impacted my outlook on food.

Tomorrow is our last day in Italy.  It has been a great vacation, but I am already thinking of all the things I have to do in the next 5 days to prepare for Taiwan.  When I arrive in Kaohsiung next weekend I will be very busy searching for an apartment, working out the details with my job, and buying a bike to get around.

I am really grateful that I had the opportunity to return to Italy (it’s my third time here).  I can still confidently say this is my favorite country, and every time I visit I find more reasons why.  My top two right now are the food and the people.  But I think those are probably the reasons why I like every country I visit J who would want to visit someplace with bad food and unfriendly people?  Oh, wait that’s America! Haha jk ... well sortof ;)

Did you know you can click on any images in the blog to see a larger version?

When in Rome ...

Sitting by the Trevi Fountain

Our apartment in Rome was in a great location; we were right down the street from the Trevi Fountain!  I visited Rome on a high school trip but I didn’t really remember too many details so I was happy to go back.  Four days was enough for me though.  Rome is probably one of my least favorite cities in Italy just because it is so crowded with tourists.

It was nice to be staying so close to the Trevi fountain because we were able to enjoy it without tourists the morning we were up early for our tour of the Vatican museum.  I had never done a guided tour inside a museum before and it was very fascinating but I’m not sure if I would have preferred just wandering around the Vatican by myself.

Our guide was great and provided a lot of interesting information about the highlights of the museum but by being in a large group you don’t get a chance to really observe the individual pieces of art and go at your own pace.  The reason we booked the tour in the first place was to avoid having to wait in the mile long line to get into the museum, which was definitely worth it.

In front of the Colosseum with my parents