How many US taxi drivers would know anything about the political parties in Sri Lanka? Well, here in Sri Lanka, many of the tuktuk and taxi drivers are keenly aware of American politics and the upcoming Presidential election. On more than one occasion, drivers have asked me who I thought would win. In every instance, they were eager for Obama to win.
On one such instance, I had a tuktuk driver take me on a trip from a nearby restaurant to my hotel at night. I would typically tell the drivers the name of the main street near my hotel, rather than the name of the small one that it is actually on because many of them were not familiar with that one. He was a younger driver, and when we got to my place, he said, "Madame, this not Ward place. This Borella Cross Road." I told him that I know that, but not everyone knows Borella Cross Road. Still, he insisted that I say, "Borella Cross Road." Then came the familiar, "What country?" I told him U.S. and he said, "Oh, America. Big country. Obama, yes?" "Yes," I said and laughed a little, "Obama." Then he said, "McCain old man. Me, I like Obama." "Yes," I agreed, "I like Obama too. I hope he wins." He replied, "Hope Obama win, no McCain. Obama, he like me. He brown [he points to his skin], like me. I hope Obama." Then we said goodnight.
25 July, 2008
24 July, 2008
...and I dreamed I saw the bomber jet planes
riding shotgun in the sky,
turning into butterflies above our nation."
- Joni Mitchell
~~~
My one-month field work trip to Sri Lanka has almost drawn to a close, and unfortunately it took me all this time to find a semi-stable internet connection! I am sitting on the veranda of my last hotel, which is in Negombo. Negombo is a beach town that is about 10-15 km from the Airport (and also close to the Katunayake Free Trade Zone that I have visited for my field work a few times). As I sit here, I've heard a few successive waves of military fighter planes roaring up above. I read in one of the daily newspapers that the government is launching an air attack on one of the LTTE strongholds this morning. In this way, the peace and tranquility of this day has been a bit marred by the ongoing political situtation. Security is being stepped up a bit here in anticipation of the SAARC conference that will be taking place in Colombo next week. SAARC is basically a South Asian economic summit involving visits from some very high-end delegates and dignitaries from neighboring countries. They are shutting down some streets completely, and raising security basically everywhere. I'm glad to be flying out ahead of that (though I will catch some of it at the airport).
I have had an incredibly busy and productive trip here, and I have met many interesting and helpful people along the way. I just counted the number of people that I interviewed so far in the 4 weeks I've been in Sri Lanka, and the grand total is: 20. That's an average of one interview per day--not bad! I am also meeting with one more women's group tomorrow, the day before I leave.
My first visit to one of these community-based organizations in the free trade zone was very interesting. I was able to see one of the boarding houses that the young women (mostly late teens) live in who migrate to this area from far away to work in the garment factories. The womens' organization wanted me to share this with people I know: There were about 40 males and females living in this hastily-constructed, concrete block building. They shared an outdoor shower and 4 toilets. Their rooms are very tiny, say about 12 feet squared, with 2 people typically living in one room. They cook in the rooms on little portable stoves, usually just rice. Here's "the kitchen" corner of one room:
They get a salary of about 8000 to 9000 Rupees per month, which is about $80 (USD). They work 6 days per week from 8 to 11 hours per day, sometimes longer if there is a lot of overtime. If I estimate that conservatively based on an 8 hour day for 24 days in a month, they'd make 6000 Rupees per month for that. That means that as a standard, they get about $.30 cents an hour, plus overtime. From an average monthly wage of, say, 8000 Rupees per month (assuming 2 people share a small room in a boarding house) 1250 per person per month goes to rent and electricity. 4000 a month is spent on groceries. What does that leave to send home? About 2750 (about $27 USD), assuming they don't buy a single thing more than that all month. Activists tell me that a recent report by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration found that 66% of women workers in the FTZs are anemic, meaning they are not getting the nutrition that they need. There are approximately 52,000 workers living and working in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone area, and housing, schools, transport, water, sewer, and other infrastructure has not kept pace. This is life as a free trade zone worker...
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is facing very high inflation these days--approaching 30%. They pay over $5 (USD) for fuel here, and that price is rising. As a result the price of food has been rising as well. Wages for private sector workers (including garment workers) have not been raised in a couple of years despite this.
In addition, the country may not get GSP+ this year due to the ongoing human rights violations that are emerging. GSP+ is a program of reduced tariffs to the European Union that has helped the Sri Lankan garment industry survive the quota phase-out. As a result of this tariff reduction, Europe has become the biggest destination market for Sri Lanka. However, getting continued concessions from the EU in this regard requires that Sri Lanka meet international human rights standards. So, that is the debate going on right now: whether to approve it or not.
Employers (garment factory owners) are also suffering due to these rising costs, which is why they say they cannot give a wage increase. At the same time, per-unit prices of garments have been on a downward trend, pushing revenues for factories down when costs are going up. In this environment, many of the smaller factories have closed down and even some of the biggest producers on the island are taking some drastic cost-cutting measures. This is the general context within which I am doing my research.
I spent about 3.5 weeks in Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka. I had a really hard time finding a guest house with internet, and I wasted a lot of time and money trying to communicate and correspond with people for my research and otherwise. Toward the end, I did get settled and I stayed in a small hotel in Colombo 7--a very wealthy part of town. A lot of international NGOs and institutions have major regional offices there, including Save the Children, Red Cross, the UN High Commission on Refugees, etc. Here are some photos on the streets of Colombo.
One Entrance to Colombo University:
The weather here is hot and humid, though not as hot as the East Coast of the US in the summertime. It is typically in the mid-80s with humidity around 70-90%. However, most places here aren't air conditioned, so that makes a pretty big difference. Going for a walk in that sort of weather is bound to make you sweat. For that reason, I'm thankful they do laundry at the hotels here. It is the rainy season, so from time to time the sky opens up and it just pours down like crazy. There have been a few severe storms, with very high winds lasting several hours, but luckily I have been able to stay indoors at those times. It's a good thing, since I have resisted bringing an umbrella to reduce luggage size.
About 3 weeks into my stay, I finally made it to the most touristy part of town, Galle Face Green. This is one of the very few places where you can actually access the beachfront, since most of the other areas are closed off either for security reasons or because the ocean is too dangerous to get close to. Here is the Galle Face Green:
I ran into tons of school boys who begged me to take their photo, so I acquiesced.
Actually, I was pretty much the only non-Sri Lankan out there on the Galle Face Green and further into the Fort area (the center of downtown). Security was super high and the streets were absolutely deserted. It is very sad, since that is where the heart of tourism is usually thumping. Instead it was just guys with guns, telling me not to take photos of any buildings. "Oh no, sir, I won't!"
I had the breakfast buffet at the very high-end and colonial-esque Galle Face Hotel. They have a nice veranda where you can drink tea and watch the sunset, though I never went there for that.
Rooms are extremely expensive there, and they advertise that they offer:
Most of the time I got around by hiring a tuktuk, which is basically a three-wheeler with a cover over it. A tuktuk turns the corner:
There are tons of empty tuktuks all over the city because there have been so few tourists these days. They get really eager to give you a ride somewhere, so I can't walk down any street without at least 15 offers, "Taxi, Madame?" Usually I ask them before I get in how much to so-and-so place, and then I have to cut the price in half to get a fair price. I try not to bargain too incredibly hard, though, since after all $.50 cents to me is very little but a whole lot to them. Often when I had to go to an interview or go somewhere at night, I would hire a taxi cab instead. Actually, they weren't that much more expensive than the tuktuks.
It really is not safe to walk around at night in Colombo as a female. That was one of the hardest things for me, since some of the guest houses that I stayed in did not provide dinner. Often, I'd have to wear the most covered-up clothing I had and dart to the closest ex-pat restaurant for dinner, since the people in the Sri Lankan restaurants would find me very strange to be out alone and also the food is served family-style. When I lived in Colombo 4, that meant crossing Duplication Road twice at night, which is about 4 lanes of unidirectional traffic with no street lights. Not a fun experience! Even in the daytime, if it is rush hour, sometimes there is just no way to cross that street as a pedestrian. You're far more likely to die in Sri Lanka from a traffic-related accident than the war. Therefore, I'm thankful to have survived those nights!
All in all, I liked Colombo. It is a lot more easygoing than the larger South Asian cities that I've been too, such as Delhi or Mumbai. The people are generally very welcoming and kind, and most of the time I was not harassed by people trying to take me places or making overtures in my direction. In fact, most people assumed I worked there, since so few tourists are coming these days it is the most likely reason for a blonde girl to be here. I was a bit surprised at the enormous wealth in Colombo 7 and 5. Really, it was like being in Beverly Hills in some parts, with BMW SUVs whizzing by and glamorous shopping malls like Crescat and Odell. (Incidentally, cars cost about 3 to 4 times more in Sri Lanka than in the US because of the import duties--that means a BMW SUV would cost..... !!!)
That's about it for this edition. I'll post some more later... maybe Saturday when I am stuck in the airport waiting for my flight.
turning into butterflies above our nation."
~~~
I have had an incredibly busy and productive trip here, and I have met many interesting and helpful people along the way. I just counted the number of people that I interviewed so far in the 4 weeks I've been in Sri Lanka, and the grand total is: 20. That's an average of one interview per day--not bad! I am also meeting with one more women's group tomorrow, the day before I leave.
My first visit to one of these community-based organizations in the free trade zone was very interesting. I was able to see one of the boarding houses that the young women (mostly late teens) live in who migrate to this area from far away to work in the garment factories. The womens' organization wanted me to share this with people I know: There were about 40 males and females living in this hastily-constructed, concrete block building. They shared an outdoor shower and 4 toilets. Their rooms are very tiny, say about 12 feet squared, with 2 people typically living in one room. They cook in the rooms on little portable stoves, usually just rice. Here's "the kitchen" corner of one room:
They get a salary of about 8000 to 9000 Rupees per month, which is about $80 (USD). They work 6 days per week from 8 to 11 hours per day, sometimes longer if there is a lot of overtime. If I estimate that conservatively based on an 8 hour day for 24 days in a month, they'd make 6000 Rupees per month for that. That means that as a standard, they get about $.30 cents an hour, plus overtime. From an average monthly wage of, say, 8000 Rupees per month (assuming 2 people share a small room in a boarding house) 1250 per person per month goes to rent and electricity. 4000 a month is spent on groceries. What does that leave to send home? About 2750 (about $27 USD), assuming they don't buy a single thing more than that all month. Activists tell me that a recent report by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration found that 66% of women workers in the FTZs are anemic, meaning they are not getting the nutrition that they need. There are approximately 52,000 workers living and working in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone area, and housing, schools, transport, water, sewer, and other infrastructure has not kept pace. This is life as a free trade zone worker...Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is facing very high inflation these days--approaching 30%. They pay over $5 (USD) for fuel here, and that price is rising. As a result the price of food has been rising as well. Wages for private sector workers (including garment workers) have not been raised in a couple of years despite this.
In addition, the country may not get GSP+ this year due to the ongoing human rights violations that are emerging. GSP+ is a program of reduced tariffs to the European Union that has helped the Sri Lankan garment industry survive the quota phase-out. As a result of this tariff reduction, Europe has become the biggest destination market for Sri Lanka. However, getting continued concessions from the EU in this regard requires that Sri Lanka meet international human rights standards. So, that is the debate going on right now: whether to approve it or not.
Employers (garment factory owners) are also suffering due to these rising costs, which is why they say they cannot give a wage increase. At the same time, per-unit prices of garments have been on a downward trend, pushing revenues for factories down when costs are going up. In this environment, many of the smaller factories have closed down and even some of the biggest producers on the island are taking some drastic cost-cutting measures. This is the general context within which I am doing my research.
I spent about 3.5 weeks in Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka. I had a really hard time finding a guest house with internet, and I wasted a lot of time and money trying to communicate and correspond with people for my research and otherwise. Toward the end, I did get settled and I stayed in a small hotel in Colombo 7--a very wealthy part of town. A lot of international NGOs and institutions have major regional offices there, including Save the Children, Red Cross, the UN High Commission on Refugees, etc. Here are some photos on the streets of Colombo.
One Entrance to Colombo University:
The weather here is hot and humid, though not as hot as the East Coast of the US in the summertime. It is typically in the mid-80s with humidity around 70-90%. However, most places here aren't air conditioned, so that makes a pretty big difference. Going for a walk in that sort of weather is bound to make you sweat. For that reason, I'm thankful they do laundry at the hotels here. It is the rainy season, so from time to time the sky opens up and it just pours down like crazy. There have been a few severe storms, with very high winds lasting several hours, but luckily I have been able to stay indoors at those times. It's a good thing, since I have resisted bringing an umbrella to reduce luggage size.
About 3 weeks into my stay, I finally made it to the most touristy part of town, Galle Face Green. This is one of the very few places where you can actually access the beachfront, since most of the other areas are closed off either for security reasons or because the ocean is too dangerous to get close to. Here is the Galle Face Green:
I ran into tons of school boys who begged me to take their photo, so I acquiesced.
Actually, I was pretty much the only non-Sri Lankan out there on the Galle Face Green and further into the Fort area (the center of downtown). Security was super high and the streets were absolutely deserted. It is very sad, since that is where the heart of tourism is usually thumping. Instead it was just guys with guns, telling me not to take photos of any buildings. "Oh no, sir, I won't!"
I had the breakfast buffet at the very high-end and colonial-esque Galle Face Hotel. They have a nice veranda where you can drink tea and watch the sunset, though I never went there for that.
Rooms are extremely expensive there, and they advertise that they offer:A colonial atmosphere, taking you back to the “good old days” when time passed slowly and life was good. Here you can enjoy and experience the colonial era once more when you stay in one of their large (or still better, huge) rooms with a ceiling fan, have inner in the beautiful ballroom, or have yourself served an afternoon tea when the sun sets. (Hands On Colombo, 2007)No joke. On occasion I will encounter such post-colonial remnants and references, and it is pretty nauseating.
Most of the time I got around by hiring a tuktuk, which is basically a three-wheeler with a cover over it. A tuktuk turns the corner:
There are tons of empty tuktuks all over the city because there have been so few tourists these days. They get really eager to give you a ride somewhere, so I can't walk down any street without at least 15 offers, "Taxi, Madame?" Usually I ask them before I get in how much to so-and-so place, and then I have to cut the price in half to get a fair price. I try not to bargain too incredibly hard, though, since after all $.50 cents to me is very little but a whole lot to them. Often when I had to go to an interview or go somewhere at night, I would hire a taxi cab instead. Actually, they weren't that much more expensive than the tuktuks.
It really is not safe to walk around at night in Colombo as a female. That was one of the hardest things for me, since some of the guest houses that I stayed in did not provide dinner. Often, I'd have to wear the most covered-up clothing I had and dart to the closest ex-pat restaurant for dinner, since the people in the Sri Lankan restaurants would find me very strange to be out alone and also the food is served family-style. When I lived in Colombo 4, that meant crossing Duplication Road twice at night, which is about 4 lanes of unidirectional traffic with no street lights. Not a fun experience! Even in the daytime, if it is rush hour, sometimes there is just no way to cross that street as a pedestrian. You're far more likely to die in Sri Lanka from a traffic-related accident than the war. Therefore, I'm thankful to have survived those nights!
All in all, I liked Colombo. It is a lot more easygoing than the larger South Asian cities that I've been too, such as Delhi or Mumbai. The people are generally very welcoming and kind, and most of the time I was not harassed by people trying to take me places or making overtures in my direction. In fact, most people assumed I worked there, since so few tourists are coming these days it is the most likely reason for a blonde girl to be here. I was a bit surprised at the enormous wealth in Colombo 7 and 5. Really, it was like being in Beverly Hills in some parts, with BMW SUVs whizzing by and glamorous shopping malls like Crescat and Odell. (Incidentally, cars cost about 3 to 4 times more in Sri Lanka than in the US because of the import duties--that means a BMW SUV would cost..... !!!)
That's about it for this edition. I'll post some more later... maybe Saturday when I am stuck in the airport waiting for my flight.
11 June, 2008
Back to Mexico
I returned from my return journey to Mexico, where I went for 11 days in May for some research and also some more fun. I am finally getting around to posting some more photos from the trip!
First, here's me with my tres moles in Puebla:
The volcano came out after the rain. This is the view from Joaquin's rooftop:
Here are some views from around Xalapa:
In Mexico, they love their panaderías (fresh bakeries):
And their fresh chickens:
And papayas:
Joaquin and I had breakfast with Hector's family:
It was YUMMY!
Here are some views from around Coatepec (small town outside of Xalapa):
In case you were wondering, they do have Nokia:
And a video from a park in Coatepec:
Then I made my way to Mexico City, where I stayed with Hector. He lives right in the downtown historic district, which meant we could walk just about anywhere and be surrounded by beautiful architecture.
And we came across the occasional bizarre billboard:
One night we had my friend Roberto over for Vietnamese spring rolls, which we made ourselves. We went to a huge fresh market to get all the ingredients:
We didn't put fish in the spring rolls, but we did put shrimp in some of them. I actually got quite sick from something I ate at some point, so Hector and I frequented a vegetarian restaurant near downtown that had a great salad bar for me.
One day we went to go see Casa Azul, which is in Coyoacán, a neighborhood in the south of Mexico City. Here are some photos from that neighborhood:
Yes, that is gum:
They like ice cream in Coyoacán. Alot.
And there was a protest while we were there because the government had pushed artisans out of the park in order to do construction, shutting the whole park area down instead of one section at a time.
In Coyoacán I had my first veggie burger in Latin America. Sadly, I was still not taking in much food, as you can probably tell from my emaciated face...
They had some pretty amazing street graffitti in Coyoacan:
La Casa Azul, is the house that Frida Kahlo was born in, where her parents had lived. She and Diego Rivera lived there together at one point as well. I love her paintings, such as this one, The Broken Column (1944), that reminds me of one of my brother's paintings during his kidney failure:
La Casa Azul:
Then I flew home!
First, here's me with my tres moles in Puebla:
The volcano came out after the rain. This is the view from Joaquin's rooftop:
Here are some views from around Xalapa:
In Mexico, they love their panaderías (fresh bakeries):
And their fresh chickens:
And papayas:
Joaquin and I had breakfast with Hector's family:
It was YUMMY!Here are some views from around Coatepec (small town outside of Xalapa):
In case you were wondering, they do have Nokia:
And a video from a park in Coatepec:
Then I made my way to Mexico City, where I stayed with Hector. He lives right in the downtown historic district, which meant we could walk just about anywhere and be surrounded by beautiful architecture.
And we came across the occasional bizarre billboard:
One night we had my friend Roberto over for Vietnamese spring rolls, which we made ourselves. We went to a huge fresh market to get all the ingredients:
We didn't put fish in the spring rolls, but we did put shrimp in some of them. I actually got quite sick from something I ate at some point, so Hector and I frequented a vegetarian restaurant near downtown that had a great salad bar for me.
One day we went to go see Casa Azul, which is in Coyoacán, a neighborhood in the south of Mexico City. Here are some photos from that neighborhood:
Yes, that is gum:
They like ice cream in Coyoacán. Alot.
And there was a protest while we were there because the government had pushed artisans out of the park in order to do construction, shutting the whole park area down instead of one section at a time.
In Coyoacán I had my first veggie burger in Latin America. Sadly, I was still not taking in much food, as you can probably tell from my emaciated face...
They had some pretty amazing street graffitti in Coyoacan:
La Casa Azul, is the house that Frida Kahlo was born in, where her parents had lived. She and Diego Rivera lived there together at one point as well. I love her paintings, such as this one, The Broken Column (1944), that reminds me of one of my brother's paintings during his kidney failure:
La Casa Azul:
Then I flew home!
19 May, 2008
Things to do on a rainy day in Xalapa
Make videos!
Joaquín and I made this nice little series for your viewing pleasure while it was pouring outside.
Take 1: Bienvenidos a la casa de Joaquín
Take 2: Inside the apartment
Take 3: Up the stairs
Take 4: On the rooftop
Take 5: Morning in Xalapa
Fin!
Joaquín and I made this nice little series for your viewing pleasure while it was pouring outside.
Take 1: Bienvenidos a la casa de Joaquín
Take 2: Inside the apartment
Take 3: Up the stairs
Take 4: On the rooftop
Take 5: Morning in Xalapa
Fin!
18 May, 2008
My First Video
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my first work of video art.
It is modest, yes, but it is a start.
It is modest, yes, but it is a start.
16 May, 2008
Regresé a México
After much planning, we finally made it back to Mexico this week for our research project in the garment industry. We visited a few factories and had some very interesting meetings with managers and other actors involved in the industry here. I was in Puebla last week, which has the largest concentration of the export-oriented garment industry in Mexico. The region has fallen on hard times, however, since the NAFTA advantage was undermined by liberalization (no more quotas) and rising wages in Mexico relative to other proximate countries to the US market (Nicaragua, etc.) Still, there is a lot of production left here, and many producers are trying to figure out how to maintain competitiveness.
We stayed at a fancy hotel outside the city, which was unfortunate in terms of gaining access to the beautiful historic city center, but it did have other advantages, such as the pool:
One evening we went to a restaurant that my friend Héctor recommended, and it turned out to be so delicious that we all ate more than we could handle. One of their specialties was Tres moles! Here's my advisor with his tres moles.
Mole was actually invented in the Puebla area, so it is a must-have or at least must-try when you are there. The next day, we were also lucky enough to get a clear glimpse of the volcano for the first time! It had even snowed the night before!
After the visits were over, I hopped on a bus yesterday afternoon bound for Xalapa. My friend Joaquín lives in Xalapa now, and it has been wonderful to walk around the streets and explore the city like a resident would. He has a balcony with a beautiful view!
I am looking forward to a clear day soon so that I can see the two (!) volcanoes that he says are there behind the clouds. It is truly a special glimpse of life in a Mexican city that most foreigners never see. We had Mediterranean food las night and sat on a balcony overlooking an alley full of restaurants and artisan shops. The weather is fantastic, the perfect temperature. The people of Xalapa are also very easygoing, and it shows as you walk around the streets. Even at 9pm last night, the streets were buzzing with activity in every direction. I'm soaking it all in.
Today I'm at Joaquín's office enjoying the fast Internet connection and planning to do some work. I had better get to it!
We stayed at a fancy hotel outside the city, which was unfortunate in terms of gaining access to the beautiful historic city center, but it did have other advantages, such as the pool:
One evening we went to a restaurant that my friend Héctor recommended, and it turned out to be so delicious that we all ate more than we could handle. One of their specialties was Tres moles! Here's my advisor with his tres moles.
Mole was actually invented in the Puebla area, so it is a must-have or at least must-try when you are there. The next day, we were also lucky enough to get a clear glimpse of the volcano for the first time! It had even snowed the night before!
After the visits were over, I hopped on a bus yesterday afternoon bound for Xalapa. My friend Joaquín lives in Xalapa now, and it has been wonderful to walk around the streets and explore the city like a resident would. He has a balcony with a beautiful view!
I am looking forward to a clear day soon so that I can see the two (!) volcanoes that he says are there behind the clouds. It is truly a special glimpse of life in a Mexican city that most foreigners never see. We had Mediterranean food las night and sat on a balcony overlooking an alley full of restaurants and artisan shops. The weather is fantastic, the perfect temperature. The people of Xalapa are also very easygoing, and it shows as you walk around the streets. Even at 9pm last night, the streets were buzzing with activity in every direction. I'm soaking it all in.
Today I'm at Joaquín's office enjoying the fast Internet connection and planning to do some work. I had better get to it!
07 April, 2008
Trailblazing: Sí Se Puede!
Two weeks ago, I got a post on Facebook from Torbertha, one of the young women that I mentored through the International Rescue Committee, back in the day when I lived in Oakland. She found out that she was accepted to UC Berkeley!
Torbertha
In other words, this remarkable woman has gone from civil war in Liberia (West Africa), to a refugee camp in Ivory Coast, to a new life facing many uphill battles in East Oakland (California), to getting in to UC Berkeley! She is still waiting to hear from more schools, but just getting in is ample reason for celebration and recognition. UC Berkeley is probably THE most competitive public university in the country.
I first met Torbertha and her family in the Fall of 2005. I was volunteering for the Liberian Family Resource Center, which was part of the International Rescue Committee's refugee resettlement program in Oakland, California. Two years earlier, the family had been resettled from Liberia and Ivory Coast, where they had been living in a refugee camp after fleeing civil war twice.
The refugee resettlement program is run through the UNHCR, and it does provide some assistance with housing, 4 months of rent, and connections to volunteers and staff. However, the Liberian program was grant-funded and only lasted for 3 years. In addition, they settled them in East Oakland--not exactly a cheap and easy place to start out in the US. (I also found out recently that the families are expected to pay back the airfare for their trip to the US!)
The family had another family mentor working with them already, so my specific role was to work withTorbertha (age 16 at the time, a sophomore in high school) and Diamond (age 19 at the time, a junior in high school) on getting into college. We worked for about a year on SATs, college essays, college searches, financial aid searches, and going to campuses (especially Berkeley) to visit. When I left the Bay Area to go back to graduate school, my roommate Susie took my place and helped Diamond apply to schools. She got into UC Davis last year and is almost done with her first year there!
Diamond
Susie and Diamond, Mt. Tamalpais
Then, Susie graduated and left for Tanzania, where she is working on AIDS research. She passed the torch to some of her friends, especially Sidra, who helped Torbertha apply to schools this fall. Several of us got together this past fall and, with additional support from friends and family, got Diamond and Torbertha laptops for school. Teachers, guidance counselors, staff from the Liberian Family Resource Center and IRC, their cousin Patience, and especially their mother all have all played a major role in this as well. All together, with a lot of hard work from a lot of people, these efforts were a great success!
Most of the effort, however, came from Diamond and Torbertha, who worked day-in and day-out to make these dreams to go to college translate into reality. I admire them and honor them. I know they already inspire others to develop the strength of spirit and perseverance that they have nurtured.
To learn more, I encourage you to:
1) Listen to Torbertha's audio essay that was broadcast on NPR as part of a story about immigrant youth, available here. (Quicktime or another mp3 format player needed to play it)
2) Read Ishmael Beah's A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
3) Watch The Lost Boys of Sudan (Intro is below)
4) Watch Nerakhoon (The Betrayal). I saw it today at Full Frame, and it was amazing. It won the "Spectrum Award."
5) Connect with refugee families in your area.
TorberthaIn other words, this remarkable woman has gone from civil war in Liberia (West Africa), to a refugee camp in Ivory Coast, to a new life facing many uphill battles in East Oakland (California), to getting in to UC Berkeley! She is still waiting to hear from more schools, but just getting in is ample reason for celebration and recognition. UC Berkeley is probably THE most competitive public university in the country.
I first met Torbertha and her family in the Fall of 2005. I was volunteering for the Liberian Family Resource Center, which was part of the International Rescue Committee's refugee resettlement program in Oakland, California. Two years earlier, the family had been resettled from Liberia and Ivory Coast, where they had been living in a refugee camp after fleeing civil war twice.
The refugee resettlement program is run through the UNHCR, and it does provide some assistance with housing, 4 months of rent, and connections to volunteers and staff. However, the Liberian program was grant-funded and only lasted for 3 years. In addition, they settled them in East Oakland--not exactly a cheap and easy place to start out in the US. (I also found out recently that the families are expected to pay back the airfare for their trip to the US!)
The family had another family mentor working with them already, so my specific role was to work withTorbertha (age 16 at the time, a sophomore in high school) and Diamond (age 19 at the time, a junior in high school) on getting into college. We worked for about a year on SATs, college essays, college searches, financial aid searches, and going to campuses (especially Berkeley) to visit. When I left the Bay Area to go back to graduate school, my roommate Susie took my place and helped Diamond apply to schools. She got into UC Davis last year and is almost done with her first year there!
Diamond
Susie and Diamond, Mt. TamalpaisMost of the effort, however, came from Diamond and Torbertha, who worked day-in and day-out to make these dreams to go to college translate into reality. I admire them and honor them. I know they already inspire others to develop the strength of spirit and perseverance that they have nurtured.
To learn more, I encourage you to:
1) Listen to Torbertha's audio essay that was broadcast on NPR as part of a story about immigrant youth, available here. (Quicktime or another mp3 format player needed to play it)
2) Read Ishmael Beah's A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
3) Watch The Lost Boys of Sudan (Intro is below)
4) Watch Nerakhoon (The Betrayal). I saw it today at Full Frame, and it was amazing. It won the "Spectrum Award."
5) Connect with refugee families in your area.
24 March, 2008
The Southland in the Springtime
Spring is, without a doubt, the best season to be in North Carolina. Even though the deadlines and stress are mounting, I've made some time to escape for great bike rides through the countryside outside Chapel Hill/Carrboro. Here's a glimpse of early spring...
My good friend Bharat is, sadly, leaving tomorrow to start a new job on Vancouver Island, so we took one last jaunt with my housemate Sydney to Maple View Farm for ice cream. It was closed for Easter Sunday, but we stopped for a rest on their rocking-chair-laden porch anyway and admired the view.
I know I'm going to date myself here (and hopefully not position myself genre-wise), but I mostly concur with the Indigo Girls on this one:
My good friend Bharat is, sadly, leaving tomorrow to start a new job on Vancouver Island, so we took one last jaunt with my housemate Sydney to Maple View Farm for ice cream. It was closed for Easter Sunday, but we stopped for a rest on their rocking-chair-laden porch anyway and admired the view.
I know I'm going to date myself here (and hopefully not position myself genre-wise), but I mostly concur with the Indigo Girls on this one:
There's something 'bout the Southland in the springtime
Where the waters flow with confidence and reason
Though I miss her when I'm gone
It won't ever be too long
'Till I'm home again to spend my favorite season
When God made me born a Yankee he was teasin'
Theres no place like home and none more pleasin'
Than the Southland in the springtime
-Southland in the Springtime
Where the waters flow with confidence and reason
Though I miss her when I'm gone
It won't ever be too long
'Till I'm home again to spend my favorite season
When God made me born a Yankee he was teasin'
Theres no place like home and none more pleasin'
Than the Southland in the springtime
-Southland in the Springtime
12 March, 2008
Escape to the Low Country
Late Friday afternoon, Tracy and I decided last-minute to embark on a road trip to Savannah, where my brother goes to art school. I called up the bro, asked him if we could crash on his floor, and he said yes--SCORE! Tracy snagged a book on the Low Country from Davis Library, I filled my car with gas, and off we went in my trusty Honda Civic. The fun started at 9am on Saturday morning, and continued on straight through Monday night.
Saturday was a nippy, blustery day. We zipped down 95 and staved off our hunger with craisins and road trip karaoke, making it all the way to Charleston by 2 for lunch. The hunger peaked just in time for us to arrive at Gaulart and Maliclet Cafe, famously known as "Fast and French," where I had the best baguette I've had since OD-ing on them in Paris (highly recommended). It is one of Tracy's favorite restaurants, and I concur with her assessment.
In Charleston for a minute, with just enough time to make some sort of snarky comment about something (?):
After lunch it was too cold and windy to walk around Charleston, so we hopped back in the car and made our way to Old Sheldon Church ruins in Beaufort, South Carolina. This church was burned down in the Revolutionary War, re-built, and then burned again in the Civil War. On the day we strolled up to it, it just so happened that there was a wedding there. It was quite a sight.
After admiring the keen location decision of the bride and groom, we continued our journey to Savannah. We stopped along the way to pick up some Southern Preserves.
We arrived in Savannah around 6, just in time for some tasty (if sweet, Southern-style) Japanese food with my brother. He was in the midst of preparing an animation project for finals, so we tried to stay out of his hair. I did ask him to smile for the camera, and this is what I got:
He did gracefully allow us to stay on his floor for two nights, though. And his apartment is smack in the middle of downtown Savannah, so it was excellent of him.
We found a copy of the weekly entertainment newspaper for the town and subsequently had our first major disappointment of the trip: we missed a live Altan show by 2 hours. Recovering from the blow, we strolled around downtown and found our way to a drag cabaret at Club One (also highly recommended). There were some pretty impressive talents displayed that evening, including a dead-on Reba McEntire impersonator and some classic Madonna. The bartender downstairs also made us delicious hot toddies, which lasted us for quite a while.
The next day, following over 12 hours of sleep, we made our way to SOHO South ("Where Food is an Art") for a delectable brunch and then strolled through the cemetary and the streets.
Then we headed to Forsyth Park, the Central Park of Savannah.
We had good times catching glimpses of SCAD students filming final projects, Savannah State students playing ultimate frisbee, and Harry Potter types enjoying a game of Quidditch.
They dyed the fountain green for St. Paddy's day, of course. Later, we sat near the fountain drinking tea and munched on girl scout cookies, while a guy on the bench next to us came over and gave us flowers that he crafted from palm leaves. We thought it was a photogenic moment, so we whipped out the camera.
Coming back from the park, we encountered a massive St. Paddy's day parade, full of all the devout Catholic Irish who could not celebrate on the real St. Paddy's day because of Holy Week. It was then that I discovered that there are a TON of Irish people in the South.
Late in the afternoon, we made a stop at a giant flea market, where Tracy posed with a rotting car.
Later that evening we almost saw Oliver Twist in the SCAD Theatre, but they mis-advertised the time on the bulletin board and there was no show at all. Instead we wandered into Murphy's Law, which Tracy promptly deemed the best Irish pub she's been to this side of the Atlantic (and she knows her pubs). We sipped our whiskey sours, watched rugby, and listened to the Irish jam session going on. Tracy sung along so loud and knew the repertoire so well that the leader asked her to join them. But, we were late for what turned out to be a mediocre movie in a very sketchy part of town, so we left only to regret leaving later on.
The next day it was already time to begin our return journey back to the Triangle. We had a final brunch at Christopher's and got back on the road. We made a most memorable detour at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, which has an Audubon Society Swamp Garden. We skipped the plantation part and explored the swamp garden. This place was AMAZING, and it was the highlight of our trip. If you are ever in the Low Country, we highly recommend you spend a full day there. I'll part with some photos that I hope will convince you...
We called it "Turtle Heaven":
Antebellum slave cabins on "The Street":
Saturday was a nippy, blustery day. We zipped down 95 and staved off our hunger with craisins and road trip karaoke, making it all the way to Charleston by 2 for lunch. The hunger peaked just in time for us to arrive at Gaulart and Maliclet Cafe, famously known as "Fast and French," where I had the best baguette I've had since OD-ing on them in Paris (highly recommended). It is one of Tracy's favorite restaurants, and I concur with her assessment.
In Charleston for a minute, with just enough time to make some sort of snarky comment about something (?):
After lunch it was too cold and windy to walk around Charleston, so we hopped back in the car and made our way to Old Sheldon Church ruins in Beaufort, South Carolina. This church was burned down in the Revolutionary War, re-built, and then burned again in the Civil War. On the day we strolled up to it, it just so happened that there was a wedding there. It was quite a sight.
After admiring the keen location decision of the bride and groom, we continued our journey to Savannah. We stopped along the way to pick up some Southern Preserves.
We arrived in Savannah around 6, just in time for some tasty (if sweet, Southern-style) Japanese food with my brother. He was in the midst of preparing an animation project for finals, so we tried to stay out of his hair. I did ask him to smile for the camera, and this is what I got:
He did gracefully allow us to stay on his floor for two nights, though. And his apartment is smack in the middle of downtown Savannah, so it was excellent of him.We found a copy of the weekly entertainment newspaper for the town and subsequently had our first major disappointment of the trip: we missed a live Altan show by 2 hours. Recovering from the blow, we strolled around downtown and found our way to a drag cabaret at Club One (also highly recommended). There were some pretty impressive talents displayed that evening, including a dead-on Reba McEntire impersonator and some classic Madonna. The bartender downstairs also made us delicious hot toddies, which lasted us for quite a while.
The next day, following over 12 hours of sleep, we made our way to SOHO South ("Where Food is an Art") for a delectable brunch and then strolled through the cemetary and the streets.
Then we headed to Forsyth Park, the Central Park of Savannah.
We had good times catching glimpses of SCAD students filming final projects, Savannah State students playing ultimate frisbee, and Harry Potter types enjoying a game of Quidditch.
They dyed the fountain green for St. Paddy's day, of course. Later, we sat near the fountain drinking tea and munched on girl scout cookies, while a guy on the bench next to us came over and gave us flowers that he crafted from palm leaves. We thought it was a photogenic moment, so we whipped out the camera.
Coming back from the park, we encountered a massive St. Paddy's day parade, full of all the devout Catholic Irish who could not celebrate on the real St. Paddy's day because of Holy Week. It was then that I discovered that there are a TON of Irish people in the South.
Late in the afternoon, we made a stop at a giant flea market, where Tracy posed with a rotting car.
Later that evening we almost saw Oliver Twist in the SCAD Theatre, but they mis-advertised the time on the bulletin board and there was no show at all. Instead we wandered into Murphy's Law, which Tracy promptly deemed the best Irish pub she's been to this side of the Atlantic (and she knows her pubs). We sipped our whiskey sours, watched rugby, and listened to the Irish jam session going on. Tracy sung along so loud and knew the repertoire so well that the leader asked her to join them. But, we were late for what turned out to be a mediocre movie in a very sketchy part of town, so we left only to regret leaving later on.The next day it was already time to begin our return journey back to the Triangle. We had a final brunch at Christopher's and got back on the road. We made a most memorable detour at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, which has an Audubon Society Swamp Garden. We skipped the plantation part and explored the swamp garden. This place was AMAZING, and it was the highlight of our trip. If you are ever in the Low Country, we highly recommend you spend a full day there. I'll part with some photos that I hope will convince you...
We called it "Turtle Heaven":
Antebellum slave cabins on "The Street":
07 March, 2008
On a Lighter Note
I've decided that sad events call for some more light-hearted posts. It is in that spirit that I will share with you a funny experience from last night.
My friends and I went to a popular-but-low-key eating establishment last night for their cheap and yummy food, and we started talking about the elections. We were bantering back and forth, generally agreeing with each other that this long, drawn out Hillary-Barack thing is getting tiresome, especially all the interviews with random black women who are asked who they will vote for (and whether they identify first as a woman or as an African American). It's nauseating. The baby boomer feminists are mad at young women for not supporting Hillary and not recognizing the biased coverage of Hillary in the media. The young women are annoyed at the patronizing tone of the boomer feminists and writing swooning articles about Barack's charm.
"But," my friend said very loud, "Obama is going to do it, because 'Yes, he can,' and he will. And Obama is going to be the best President we've seen in our lifetime." And, right at that moment, John Edwards swooshed past our table. Oops.
My friends and I went to a popular-but-low-key eating establishment last night for their cheap and yummy food, and we started talking about the elections. We were bantering back and forth, generally agreeing with each other that this long, drawn out Hillary-Barack thing is getting tiresome, especially all the interviews with random black women who are asked who they will vote for (and whether they identify first as a woman or as an African American). It's nauseating. The baby boomer feminists are mad at young women for not supporting Hillary and not recognizing the biased coverage of Hillary in the media. The young women are annoyed at the patronizing tone of the boomer feminists and writing swooning articles about Barack's charm.
"But," my friend said very loud, "Obama is going to do it, because 'Yes, he can,' and he will. And Obama is going to be the best President we've seen in our lifetime." And, right at that moment, John Edwards swooshed past our table. Oops.
06 March, 2008
A Sad Confirmation
...that unthinkable things can happen anywhere to anyone:
Today they identified the victim of a shooting just off campus at UNC Chapel Hill. It was Eve Carson, the Student Body President. She was almost exactly my height, my weight, same color and length of hair, but about 8 years younger. She was found on the side of the road in a sleepy neighborhood near campus, shot multiple times.
She was very active on campus and her death has obviously affected many, judging from the visible signs of remorse all over campus today. May her family and friends be strong and supported, and may she rest in peace.
Today they identified the victim of a shooting just off campus at UNC Chapel Hill. It was Eve Carson, the Student Body President. She was almost exactly my height, my weight, same color and length of hair, but about 8 years younger. She was found on the side of the road in a sleepy neighborhood near campus, shot multiple times.
She was very active on campus and her death has obviously affected many, judging from the visible signs of remorse all over campus today. May her family and friends be strong and supported, and may she rest in peace.
25 February, 2008
The Flip Side
Different as universes might be on this planet, I've continued to think about this issue of living amidst war, and I've arrived at the conclusion that there are also some underlying universals. Take the U.S., for instance, the nation I am most acquainted with (though I still am baffled by this country on a daily basis ). In a myriad of ways, at multiple scales, we have less overt but still insidious civil wars of our own.
First, we have the media wars: the battle for control over the ideology of the masses. The ever-shrinking pool of corporate giants that invest and drive our media stations will stop at nothing to get ahead, to the point of absurdity. Whether it is CNN's over-sized screens, FOX New's unconvincing insistence on objectivity, or your everyday local-news reports of sensationalized scandal and savagery, they all vie for dominion over the fears and desires of our so-called "free" nation.
Second, take the war that we are fighting--no, check that--the wars, plural. That would be Iraq and Afghanistan. Or, we could easily add the "war against terror," the "war against drugs," the war against immigrants, and the "fight for freedom." We shovel billions and billions of dollars overseas and back again, into the pockets of unaccountable defense contractors and shady deal makers. We are, in a way, fighting to preserve our fumbling empire, led by a bunch of greedy, selfish, fundamentalist goons. All of this fighting has taken its toll. We've become a passive, down-trodden, disheartened nation; a nation tired from wars; and a nation where hope is audacious.
Third: the economic wars. We're not just fighting a simple class war between the owners of production and the proletarian workers for bargaining power on the shop floor. Millions of Americans are losing their homes, filing for bankruptcy, or unemployed at fifty with a high school education. We're the richest country in the world, but you wouldn't know it by the achievement tests of our high schoolers compared to other nations. We're a nation where getting sick can spell absolute financial ruin or preventable death.
I could go on and on, but I'll try to spare your eyes. Most important of all, we're a nation of individuals, families, friends, lovers, colleagues, enemies, and strangers. Like any other, we have our everyday battles and personal land mines to combat. An estimated 28 million Americans are on anti-depressants (IMS America), after all. I know in my own experience that I wage war with myself constantly. It ranges from your run-of-the-mill benevolent dictatorship to the more ruthless variety. Ironically, most of the time my strategic goal is to try to stay balanced, and lately I've been losing battles left and right.
So, whatever differences living in Sri Lanka will bring--and for sure there will be many--its not as if I'm unfamiliar with fighting and with trying to find it in me to keep going. That is a feeling I'm up close and personal with, and apparently I'm not alone.
I'll sign off with Persepolis, which puts it in another, more amusing way. It's the "Eye of the Tiger":
First, we have the media wars: the battle for control over the ideology of the masses. The ever-shrinking pool of corporate giants that invest and drive our media stations will stop at nothing to get ahead, to the point of absurdity. Whether it is CNN's over-sized screens, FOX New's unconvincing insistence on objectivity, or your everyday local-news reports of sensationalized scandal and savagery, they all vie for dominion over the fears and desires of our so-called "free" nation.
Second, take the war that we are fighting--no, check that--the wars, plural. That would be Iraq and Afghanistan. Or, we could easily add the "war against terror," the "war against drugs," the war against immigrants, and the "fight for freedom." We shovel billions and billions of dollars overseas and back again, into the pockets of unaccountable defense contractors and shady deal makers. We are, in a way, fighting to preserve our fumbling empire, led by a bunch of greedy, selfish, fundamentalist goons. All of this fighting has taken its toll. We've become a passive, down-trodden, disheartened nation; a nation tired from wars; and a nation where hope is audacious.
Third: the economic wars. We're not just fighting a simple class war between the owners of production and the proletarian workers for bargaining power on the shop floor. Millions of Americans are losing their homes, filing for bankruptcy, or unemployed at fifty with a high school education. We're the richest country in the world, but you wouldn't know it by the achievement tests of our high schoolers compared to other nations. We're a nation where getting sick can spell absolute financial ruin or preventable death.
I could go on and on, but I'll try to spare your eyes. Most important of all, we're a nation of individuals, families, friends, lovers, colleagues, enemies, and strangers. Like any other, we have our everyday battles and personal land mines to combat. An estimated 28 million Americans are on anti-depressants (IMS America), after all. I know in my own experience that I wage war with myself constantly. It ranges from your run-of-the-mill benevolent dictatorship to the more ruthless variety. Ironically, most of the time my strategic goal is to try to stay balanced, and lately I've been losing battles left and right.
So, whatever differences living in Sri Lanka will bring--and for sure there will be many--its not as if I'm unfamiliar with fighting and with trying to find it in me to keep going. That is a feeling I'm up close and personal with, and apparently I'm not alone.
I'll sign off with Persepolis, which puts it in another, more amusing way. It's the "Eye of the Tiger":
23 February, 2008
Different universes
My big news of the last few weeks is that I got a grant to go to Sri Lanka this summer for preliminary research on the global apparel industry. I was jumping for joy and all that, but then I was brought back down to earth by the sobering news stories that have been coming out of the balmy island nation.
Photo courtesy of http://www.unesco.org
Downtown Colombo, Photo courtesy of http://www.traveljournals.net
Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/byflickr/183313021/
Many people probably know that there has been an ongoing civil war in Sri Lanka since 1983, between the Sinhalese (Buddhist) majority and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam opposition. For the last few years , most of the violence has been confined to the North and East corners of the island, but through the span of the conflict over 70,000 people have died. In January the Sinhalese-led government pulled out of the peace accord that has been de juré for the last six years. Subsequently, there have been government attacks on civilians in the North and several Tamil Tiger bombings and assassinations in and near the capital, Colombo. The recent outbreaks of violence have caused several governments to update their travel warnings to include Colombo as "high risk" (at least it is still less than "extreme risk"). Humanitarian groups have released an appeal for action, the Common Humanitarian Action Plan: Appeal 2008 for Sri Lanka, which has more information.
A Tamil Tiger Soldier, Photo courtesy of http://www.sangam.org
A colleague of mine is in Sri Lanka right now on a Fulbright, and she said that recent events have started to touch home, especially the train station suicide bomb last month in central Colombo. She stays away from buses and trains, and uses the tuk-tuk to get around, which is probably what I'll do if I'm there. My grants will probably not allow me to go to Sri Lanka if the situation escalates, but if it begins to calm down I am pretty sure I will still go.
The truth is, you can experience violence anywhere at any time. You can be killed on a highway, on a motorcycle, by a bus, by kidney failure, and on, and on... I am a firm believer in not restricting your life out of fear. Women walk the streets every night, despite the fear of rape and being overpowered that we all encounter. And I'm glad we do. We should not stay holed up in our houses because the world is a scary place. In reality, even the home is not safe for many, so we must go on living. We should be careful, street-smart, and aware, but we should not be ruled by fear.
So yes, I do have a strong resolve to go to Sri Lanka, but I also realize that when I get there it's going to be a different universe. It will certainly be a new experience to live amidst an ongoing civil war. In addition, I won't speak the language (thought many people speak English), and there will be culture shock, for sure. I'll be visiting clothing factories like the one below. Factories themselves are often sites of heated contention, and it will be another challenging experience to see and learn about them first-hand.
Photo courtesy of http://www.skdpacific.com.hk
I will also be going back to Mexico soon, once in March (for sure) and again in May-June (contingent on funding). I'll be doing similar work there, though the first trip is for a different study of the global apparel industry. It will be my second time in a clothing factory, the first being at a jean factory in Costa Rica in 1998.
I recently got back from fieldwork (site visit) in Portland and a subsequent weekend in Seattle with Eve and Dave (Brandeis friends). We had a lot of fun celebrating my birthday with Rob and Ewa (I went to grammar/high school with Rob). I loved Seattle, and soaked up every single minute I could looking at the beautiful views. I met Jaime from I-House in the U-District, where I lived in 1998 for a summer doing odd jobs. We had sangria and caught up on many of life's happenings since Berkeley days. All in all, it was a fantastic trip, and it was wonderful to reconnect.
So, things are beginning to move forward for me, in a major way. I'm finalizing my last summer grant proposals and trying to get as much done as possible on the 2 papers I'm writing (one that I will present at a conference in Boston in April). I'm also somehow managing to keep up with course work (so far). I'm pretty sure I've got a house/living arrangement lined up for next year, so that is reassuring.
Meanwhile, my friends have some big news of their own--talk about different universes... First, I'm happy to welcome another aquarius into this world! Molly had a baby girl in Boston, Sarah Grace O'Malley, on February 6th. Keith's wife is due in the next month sometime too, in Kalamazoo, MI. And my darling Deepa told me she too will have a baby come June in Ohio.
My best NC friend Bharat (and co-savior with Soumya during my catastrophic year last year) will be moving to Victoria, British Colombia with a great job and permanent Canadian residency. This comes on the heels of a ten-year, embittering, unsuccessful battle for residency here in the US (I tell you, we're losing all the good people!).
Finally, Chantelle got a tenure-track position teaching German at the University of Arizona, Tucson. If you didn't know, academic jobs in the humanities are EXTREMELY hard to get these days, so that is a major accomplishment. She too has immigration woes to struggle through with her husband, so I wish them all the luck in the world.
OK, I'm off to chat with my dad over gmail. Strange universe this is, indeed!
Photo courtesy of http://www.unesco.org
Downtown Colombo, Photo courtesy of http://www.traveljournals.net
Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/byflickr/183313021/Many people probably know that there has been an ongoing civil war in Sri Lanka since 1983, between the Sinhalese (Buddhist) majority and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam opposition. For the last few years , most of the violence has been confined to the North and East corners of the island, but through the span of the conflict over 70,000 people have died. In January the Sinhalese-led government pulled out of the peace accord that has been de juré for the last six years. Subsequently, there have been government attacks on civilians in the North and several Tamil Tiger bombings and assassinations in and near the capital, Colombo. The recent outbreaks of violence have caused several governments to update their travel warnings to include Colombo as "high risk" (at least it is still less than "extreme risk"). Humanitarian groups have released an appeal for action, the Common Humanitarian Action Plan: Appeal 2008 for Sri Lanka, which has more information.
A Tamil Tiger Soldier, Photo courtesy of http://www.sangam.orgA colleague of mine is in Sri Lanka right now on a Fulbright, and she said that recent events have started to touch home, especially the train station suicide bomb last month in central Colombo. She stays away from buses and trains, and uses the tuk-tuk to get around, which is probably what I'll do if I'm there. My grants will probably not allow me to go to Sri Lanka if the situation escalates, but if it begins to calm down I am pretty sure I will still go.
The truth is, you can experience violence anywhere at any time. You can be killed on a highway, on a motorcycle, by a bus, by kidney failure, and on, and on... I am a firm believer in not restricting your life out of fear. Women walk the streets every night, despite the fear of rape and being overpowered that we all encounter. And I'm glad we do. We should not stay holed up in our houses because the world is a scary place. In reality, even the home is not safe for many, so we must go on living. We should be careful, street-smart, and aware, but we should not be ruled by fear.
So yes, I do have a strong resolve to go to Sri Lanka, but I also realize that when I get there it's going to be a different universe. It will certainly be a new experience to live amidst an ongoing civil war. In addition, I won't speak the language (thought many people speak English), and there will be culture shock, for sure. I'll be visiting clothing factories like the one below. Factories themselves are often sites of heated contention, and it will be another challenging experience to see and learn about them first-hand.
Photo courtesy of http://www.skdpacific.com.hkI will also be going back to Mexico soon, once in March (for sure) and again in May-June (contingent on funding). I'll be doing similar work there, though the first trip is for a different study of the global apparel industry. It will be my second time in a clothing factory, the first being at a jean factory in Costa Rica in 1998.
I recently got back from fieldwork (site visit) in Portland and a subsequent weekend in Seattle with Eve and Dave (Brandeis friends). We had a lot of fun celebrating my birthday with Rob and Ewa (I went to grammar/high school with Rob). I loved Seattle, and soaked up every single minute I could looking at the beautiful views. I met Jaime from I-House in the U-District, where I lived in 1998 for a summer doing odd jobs. We had sangria and caught up on many of life's happenings since Berkeley days. All in all, it was a fantastic trip, and it was wonderful to reconnect.
So, things are beginning to move forward for me, in a major way. I'm finalizing my last summer grant proposals and trying to get as much done as possible on the 2 papers I'm writing (one that I will present at a conference in Boston in April). I'm also somehow managing to keep up with course work (so far). I'm pretty sure I've got a house/living arrangement lined up for next year, so that is reassuring.
Meanwhile, my friends have some big news of their own--talk about different universes... First, I'm happy to welcome another aquarius into this world! Molly had a baby girl in Boston, Sarah Grace O'Malley, on February 6th. Keith's wife is due in the next month sometime too, in Kalamazoo, MI. And my darling Deepa told me she too will have a baby come June in Ohio.My best NC friend Bharat (and co-savior with Soumya during my catastrophic year last year) will be moving to Victoria, British Colombia with a great job and permanent Canadian residency. This comes on the heels of a ten-year, embittering, unsuccessful battle for residency here in the US (I tell you, we're losing all the good people!).
Finally, Chantelle got a tenure-track position teaching German at the University of Arizona, Tucson. If you didn't know, academic jobs in the humanities are EXTREMELY hard to get these days, so that is a major accomplishment. She too has immigration woes to struggle through with her husband, so I wish them all the luck in the world.
OK, I'm off to chat with my dad over gmail. Strange universe this is, indeed!
27 January, 2008
The Charmer
If you haven't seen the Obama victory speech in South Carolina, it is well worth a listen. This shows what all the fuss is about.
22 January, 2008
Rolling Down the Hill
Submerged in work, I started thinking back to my Mexico trip this summer. I can't wait for March, when we will go back for research, though I doubt we will have as much fun. Oh well, it is still worth remembering. Here's Joaquin in the Xalapa botanical garden.
20 January, 2008
Radio Radio
Quickly, my friend Joseph said he'll be playing a song that my former co-worker David and I recorded around 6:30 this evening on 89.3 WXYC. It is my radio debut! It's a cover of a Rilo Kiley tune, The Modern Age. We recorded it in David's living room with very few takes, so the vocals are a little too soft in the beginning but it gets better. If you're in the area, pop on the radio and tell me what you think. If not, I believe streaming is an option. Thanks, Joseph!
10 January, 2008
A Day in the Life
...of a PhD student. Tomorrow (which is really later today) another semester will start. It will be my 4th semester as a PhD student and my 8th as a graduate student. That is kind of scary to me, especially because I have probably another 3 or 4 years to go, but I digress...
Yesterday afternoon I had a productive spurt. After about a week-and-a-half of nagging myself to start working on a paper, I finally started on it. I started by reviewing the country's history. It was about Cambodia's garment industry. So, I spent several hours recapping how the Khmer Rouge rose to power (by the way, this occurred shortly after the US began a B-52 bombing campaign in the eastern mountains of Cambodia to try to obliterate the Vietnamese hiding there) and how Pol Pot and his like executed 1 to 3 million Cambodians and left the country in a state of ravaged civil war for 2 more decades.
It was convenient that I had plans to watch a movie that night, or so I thought at the time, because I was ready for a break. We saw "Eastern Promises." Sadly, that movie was absolutely horrible--garishly, unnecessarily violent and full of drawn out scenes of sexual exploitation and mutilation. I also think it was for stupid people, since the plot was almost entirely predictable and the more complex parts got no closure in the end. Don't see it.
Today started somewhat better, though my plans for taking the paper further were derailed when my advisor emailed to say that our project funder finally emailed. Therefore, some research was required in preparation for an upcoming phone meeting. I didn't mind too much, given the Cambodia travails of the night before.
So, I started poking around online for the project, which is always a dangerous endeavor due to the potential for distraction. Suddenly, I made an impulsive decision to drive to Durham to purchase tickets for the upcoming Dresden Dolls show in person rather than spending $11.50 on processing fees online (see below for a sample). I justified the trip because one of my favorite coffee shops in Durham, Francescas, is an ideal place to get work done.
So I got the tickets, went to Francescas, and ordered some soup for lunch. It turns out, the soup was not so fresh. I spent most of the rest of the day in minor stomach agony, including right now since I can't sleep. I got a little work done, then headed back to meet my advisor to get some pre-semester paperwork signed (there is ALWAYS pre-semester paperwork). It lasted 10 minutes longer than I put in the parking meter, and sure enough--I got a ticket.
On the bright side, the ticket was only $15. That means, on the whole, I made out only about $3.50 poorer than I would have been if I had followed the original plan of buying the tickets online and biking to school. Still, as I met a friend for coffee, I couldn't help but stare at my cell phone clock every five minutes to make sure I didn't get another ticket. "This is why I am a staunch advocate of not driving to school," I reminded myself.
After coffee, I returned home and then did some research. Actually, I was also drinking tea, eating sugary foods, and chatting to my friend in Oxford as I worked. But I did manage to get work done somehow.
At 6pm I signed off and walked to the Weaver Street Market (co-op) to get some food for dinner. On my way there, I started feeling jittery from all the sugar. I also felt anxious about the grant proposals I didn't yet finish, the papers I had not yet written, the SAS tutorials I had not yet done for my multiple regression course, etc. To calm myself down (because ultimately the PhD is an internal battle with oneself), I reminded myself of the horoscope I read earlier today on Free Will Astrology (something I do purely for entertainment/procrastination purposes, I assure you):
I wasn't that hungry due to aforementioned stomach problem, so at the co-op I spontaneously decided to make miso soup and a side of broiled eggplant. This second act of impulsive decision-making subsequently involved about 2 hours of my time foibling around in the kitchen. I chopped up carrots for the soup, but forgot to put water in the pan and the whole house filled with smoke. I followed the directions for the miso, but it turned out way to concentrated, so I ended up making twice as much soup as originally intended. Finally, the eggplant was undercooked because I was getting impatient and it was getting late. (I swear, I'm not normally this much of a klutz.) After that, I gave up and watched the Daily Show online, which provided me with some much-needed light-heartedness.
All in all, I wouldn't say it was a bad day, necessarily. I had read too much about Pol Pot to be that full of delusion. It was a mediocre day. The mountain of all that is left to do in a semester stood before me yet again, along with all the feelings of inadequacy that are inherent to PhD programs. And there is no end in sight.
I am the happiest woman alive.
Yesterday afternoon I had a productive spurt. After about a week-and-a-half of nagging myself to start working on a paper, I finally started on it. I started by reviewing the country's history. It was about Cambodia's garment industry. So, I spent several hours recapping how the Khmer Rouge rose to power (by the way, this occurred shortly after the US began a B-52 bombing campaign in the eastern mountains of Cambodia to try to obliterate the Vietnamese hiding there) and how Pol Pot and his like executed 1 to 3 million Cambodians and left the country in a state of ravaged civil war for 2 more decades.
It was convenient that I had plans to watch a movie that night, or so I thought at the time, because I was ready for a break. We saw "Eastern Promises." Sadly, that movie was absolutely horrible--garishly, unnecessarily violent and full of drawn out scenes of sexual exploitation and mutilation. I also think it was for stupid people, since the plot was almost entirely predictable and the more complex parts got no closure in the end. Don't see it.
Today started somewhat better, though my plans for taking the paper further were derailed when my advisor emailed to say that our project funder finally emailed. Therefore, some research was required in preparation for an upcoming phone meeting. I didn't mind too much, given the Cambodia travails of the night before.
So, I started poking around online for the project, which is always a dangerous endeavor due to the potential for distraction. Suddenly, I made an impulsive decision to drive to Durham to purchase tickets for the upcoming Dresden Dolls show in person rather than spending $11.50 on processing fees online (see below for a sample). I justified the trip because one of my favorite coffee shops in Durham, Francescas, is an ideal place to get work done.
So I got the tickets, went to Francescas, and ordered some soup for lunch. It turns out, the soup was not so fresh. I spent most of the rest of the day in minor stomach agony, including right now since I can't sleep. I got a little work done, then headed back to meet my advisor to get some pre-semester paperwork signed (there is ALWAYS pre-semester paperwork). It lasted 10 minutes longer than I put in the parking meter, and sure enough--I got a ticket.
On the bright side, the ticket was only $15. That means, on the whole, I made out only about $3.50 poorer than I would have been if I had followed the original plan of buying the tickets online and biking to school. Still, as I met a friend for coffee, I couldn't help but stare at my cell phone clock every five minutes to make sure I didn't get another ticket. "This is why I am a staunch advocate of not driving to school," I reminded myself.
After coffee, I returned home and then did some research. Actually, I was also drinking tea, eating sugary foods, and chatting to my friend in Oxford as I worked. But I did manage to get work done somehow.
At 6pm I signed off and walked to the Weaver Street Market (co-op) to get some food for dinner. On my way there, I started feeling jittery from all the sugar. I also felt anxious about the grant proposals I didn't yet finish, the papers I had not yet written, the SAS tutorials I had not yet done for my multiple regression course, etc. To calm myself down (because ultimately the PhD is an internal battle with oneself), I reminded myself of the horoscope I read earlier today on Free Will Astrology (something I do purely for entertainment/procrastination purposes, I assure you):
You are likely to attract cosmic luck and generate useful serendipity if you can achieve a state that combines Zen Buddhism's "beginner's mind" with the attitude Henry Miller enjoyed when he said, "I have no money, no resources, no hopes. I am the happiest man alive."Cosmic luck sounded great to me, so I tried to think Zen thoughts.
I wasn't that hungry due to aforementioned stomach problem, so at the co-op I spontaneously decided to make miso soup and a side of broiled eggplant. This second act of impulsive decision-making subsequently involved about 2 hours of my time foibling around in the kitchen. I chopped up carrots for the soup, but forgot to put water in the pan and the whole house filled with smoke. I followed the directions for the miso, but it turned out way to concentrated, so I ended up making twice as much soup as originally intended. Finally, the eggplant was undercooked because I was getting impatient and it was getting late. (I swear, I'm not normally this much of a klutz.) After that, I gave up and watched the Daily Show online, which provided me with some much-needed light-heartedness.
All in all, I wouldn't say it was a bad day, necessarily. I had read too much about Pol Pot to be that full of delusion. It was a mediocre day. The mountain of all that is left to do in a semester stood before me yet again, along with all the feelings of inadequacy that are inherent to PhD programs. And there is no end in sight.
I am the happiest woman alive.
16 December, 2007
2007: An unseasonably warm departure
As of last Tuesday, another semester passed me by. It was nearly 80 degrees when I walked out of my stats final, just one of nearly 5 days of unseasonably warm weather. From a selfishly short-term perspective, it was absolutely wonderful to have those days of warmth and spring-like weather. I went on a couple of amazing bike rides through the countryside and had my share of afternoon teas on the Weaver Street Co-op lawn. In the long term, though, the pattern is quite scary, as my friend has blogged about. In the news the other day, they said that the city of Durham had 55 days of water left. Still, things seem to continue on as normal here, with only a few signs of addressing this issue, such as the low flow toilet installations on campus and the closed car wash down the street. I suppose we'll start purchasing water from elsewhere and paying ever-increasing rates. Perhaps we'll experience the Southeastern version of the Cadillac Desert.
Looking back on the semester, perhaps my biggest accomplishment (aside from surviving a 4 class schedule) was that I cranked out a halfway decent research proposal. I still have to do preliminary research to see how feasible it is, but I am excited to have had the opportunity to push the idea this far. The basic gist is that I will study the efforts of the last 10 years to raise environmental and labor standards in the global clothing industry. After the anti-sweatshop movements of the late 1990s, corporations, NGOs and other coalitions implemented code of conduct systems to try to monitor and improve conditions. What resulted was a cacophony of different codes and, despite significant investments, very mixed results. This research will take me to Sri Lanka and back to Mexico this summer if I can get funded. I'll be busy over the break applying for some summer grants, writing papers, and doing research. I guess it won't be much of a break, but that's ok. I got to sleep in today.
Last night I went to see a local band, The Old Ceremony. Here's my favorite song of the moment, with a great Hendrix-like hook, "I don't know what I'm gonna do...":
I saw them for the first time last spring, when their second record had just come out. This time around, the band was remarkably tight and their energy was really on. Bharat commented that their front-man, Django Haskins, is perhaps the best musician we have in the area now, and I wouldn't disagree. He has a smooth voice and a natural love for performing. Still, I suppose that's a very subjective assertion, and my local DJ friend would probably have some interesting commentary on the subject. We also saw Tres Chicas, Tad Dreis, Al Green, and Caetano Veloso this semester, so it's been a fruitful season for live music here. I think I'm missing a few more, but oh well.
I recently got in touch with some old friends from high school over Facebook who were part of the music program with me back in the day. I haven't seen them for 12 years, and some of us will meet up in NYC after Christmas. As a testament to the quality of the music program at our high school, three of the people I got in touch with are still in the performance industry. James Valenti is having quite a bit of success with his career in opera (have a listen!), Christy Ney is working as an Assistant stage manager on Broadway, and Jim Festante is an actor based in LA. In addition, Sean Murphy, who I've been in touch with more recently than high school, is doing stand-up comedy in NYC. Not bad for a conservative exurban NJ high school! Time for me to get my act together.
This past week I also saw Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince), put on by the Playmakers Repertory Company on campus. It was very imaginatively done, and I'll depart with one of my favorite passages:
Looking back on the semester, perhaps my biggest accomplishment (aside from surviving a 4 class schedule) was that I cranked out a halfway decent research proposal. I still have to do preliminary research to see how feasible it is, but I am excited to have had the opportunity to push the idea this far. The basic gist is that I will study the efforts of the last 10 years to raise environmental and labor standards in the global clothing industry. After the anti-sweatshop movements of the late 1990s, corporations, NGOs and other coalitions implemented code of conduct systems to try to monitor and improve conditions. What resulted was a cacophony of different codes and, despite significant investments, very mixed results. This research will take me to Sri Lanka and back to Mexico this summer if I can get funded. I'll be busy over the break applying for some summer grants, writing papers, and doing research. I guess it won't be much of a break, but that's ok. I got to sleep in today.
Last night I went to see a local band, The Old Ceremony. Here's my favorite song of the moment, with a great Hendrix-like hook, "I don't know what I'm gonna do...":
I saw them for the first time last spring, when their second record had just come out. This time around, the band was remarkably tight and their energy was really on. Bharat commented that their front-man, Django Haskins, is perhaps the best musician we have in the area now, and I wouldn't disagree. He has a smooth voice and a natural love for performing. Still, I suppose that's a very subjective assertion, and my local DJ friend would probably have some interesting commentary on the subject. We also saw Tres Chicas, Tad Dreis, Al Green, and Caetano Veloso this semester, so it's been a fruitful season for live music here. I think I'm missing a few more, but oh well.
I recently got in touch with some old friends from high school over Facebook who were part of the music program with me back in the day. I haven't seen them for 12 years, and some of us will meet up in NYC after Christmas. As a testament to the quality of the music program at our high school, three of the people I got in touch with are still in the performance industry. James Valenti is having quite a bit of success with his career in opera (have a listen!), Christy Ney is working as an Assistant stage manager on Broadway, and Jim Festante is an actor based in LA. In addition, Sean Murphy, who I've been in touch with more recently than high school, is doing stand-up comedy in NYC. Not bad for a conservative exurban NJ high school! Time for me to get my act together.
This past week I also saw Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince), put on by the Playmakers Repertory Company on campus. It was very imaginatively done, and I'll depart with one of my favorite passages:
To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you-- the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or even sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.It has been quite a year, with a kidney transplant and a departmental switch. But, my brother and sister are still doing very well, and things are looking up. Thanks to all of you, my fellow roses and rose-keepers, who have been supportive through the mess. Happy Holidays, everyone! Cheers for a better year in 2008. As my Oma would say, "Hip, Hip, Horaaah!" We made it.
18 November, 2007
08 November, 2007
Baby, it's cold outside, but...
I'm not traveling very far these days. Lately, going on my one hour bike ride in the Orange County countryside is about as far as I get from this tiny little town. But, this tiny little town also has its advantages, as I learned tonight.
One good thing about a small university town like this is that you can get cheap tickets to some very good performances. Earlier this fall, I went to see the fabulous Al Green, and tonight I got to see Brazilian superstar Caetano Veloso. All this for $10 and less than a 2 mile trip from my home! Now, even city lovers like me can't complain about that. It even gets better, but before I get carried away....
I first discovered Caetano Veloso when I was on an Almodóvar kick a few years ago. I went to see a movie in a theater in the Lower East Side of Manhattan with an old boyfriend and good friend, whom I only get to see in person once every few years. Caetano Veloso sang in one of the best, and most moving scenes in the movie, Hable con Ella (Talk to Her):
I immediately went out and bought one of his CDs, and soon came to love his expressive voice.
Since I'm a vocalist, I tend to be attracted to vocally strong performances, and his is truly powerful. He sings in Portuguese most often and draws from the rich bossa nova style that is so uniquely Brazil. He also delves into jazz, blues, rock, classical, rap, indie, and just about anything you could imagine. Best of all, he does all of these things very well.
So, tonight, I was very excited to get to see this Brazilian superstar in person. He did not disappoint at all. He played from a wide range of his repertoire, including the song from the movie above. He also played 3 or 4 encore songs, and he got a very stubbornly sedentary audience on its feet by the end. All in all, it was a great time (though I must say I would love to see him in Brazil someday and feel the energy of a crowd there).
After the show, some friends and I walked through the bitter cold to the Lantern for a drink. The Lantern is a well-known restaurant that also has a small bar that makes fancy cocktails in the back. When I got there, I tried to sit at a table, but they kicked me out, saying it was reserved. I grabbed a seat at the bar instead.
Soon after, my friends came in (most of them are also in geography, some were Brazilian or studying in Brazil). We all grumbled about the lack of tables, and how they could possibly reserve 3 whole tables for someone. "It better be for Caetano Veloso," I said jokingly, "Otherwise, we need to take over the tables." Everyone laughed and agreed. Then we broke off into our respective conversations.
About an hour after we got there, I looked over and saw one of Caetano Veloso's band members coming in. Sure enough, it was the entire Caetano Veloso party! We all couldn't believe that our joke was becoming a reality. But, there they were, the entire band and, quite possibly, one of the biggest superstars in Brazil, eating dinner about 10 feet from us. The wonders of small towns never cease, I thought. But it gets even better!
One woman that we were with is a visiting scholar from Rio de Janiero. She was in one of my classes last year. She's in a wheelchair, so she can't walk. At one point, someone mentioned to Caetano Veloso that she was there and would really be elated if he came over to meet her. Sure enough, he walked right behind me and went over to take a picture with her. It was the sweetest thing I've seen in a long time. What a wonderful night, what a wonderful small town, and what a wonderful guy. Obrigado Caetano e obrigado Brazil.
One good thing about a small university town like this is that you can get cheap tickets to some very good performances. Earlier this fall, I went to see the fabulous Al Green, and tonight I got to see Brazilian superstar Caetano Veloso. All this for $10 and less than a 2 mile trip from my home! Now, even city lovers like me can't complain about that. It even gets better, but before I get carried away....
I first discovered Caetano Veloso when I was on an Almodóvar kick a few years ago. I went to see a movie in a theater in the Lower East Side of Manhattan with an old boyfriend and good friend, whom I only get to see in person once every few years. Caetano Veloso sang in one of the best, and most moving scenes in the movie, Hable con Ella (Talk to Her):
I immediately went out and bought one of his CDs, and soon came to love his expressive voice.
Since I'm a vocalist, I tend to be attracted to vocally strong performances, and his is truly powerful. He sings in Portuguese most often and draws from the rich bossa nova style that is so uniquely Brazil. He also delves into jazz, blues, rock, classical, rap, indie, and just about anything you could imagine. Best of all, he does all of these things very well.
So, tonight, I was very excited to get to see this Brazilian superstar in person. He did not disappoint at all. He played from a wide range of his repertoire, including the song from the movie above. He also played 3 or 4 encore songs, and he got a very stubbornly sedentary audience on its feet by the end. All in all, it was a great time (though I must say I would love to see him in Brazil someday and feel the energy of a crowd there).
After the show, some friends and I walked through the bitter cold to the Lantern for a drink. The Lantern is a well-known restaurant that also has a small bar that makes fancy cocktails in the back. When I got there, I tried to sit at a table, but they kicked me out, saying it was reserved. I grabbed a seat at the bar instead.
Soon after, my friends came in (most of them are also in geography, some were Brazilian or studying in Brazil). We all grumbled about the lack of tables, and how they could possibly reserve 3 whole tables for someone. "It better be for Caetano Veloso," I said jokingly, "Otherwise, we need to take over the tables." Everyone laughed and agreed. Then we broke off into our respective conversations.
About an hour after we got there, I looked over and saw one of Caetano Veloso's band members coming in. Sure enough, it was the entire Caetano Veloso party! We all couldn't believe that our joke was becoming a reality. But, there they were, the entire band and, quite possibly, one of the biggest superstars in Brazil, eating dinner about 10 feet from us. The wonders of small towns never cease, I thought. But it gets even better!
One woman that we were with is a visiting scholar from Rio de Janiero. She was in one of my classes last year. She's in a wheelchair, so she can't walk. At one point, someone mentioned to Caetano Veloso that she was there and would really be elated if he came over to meet her. Sure enough, he walked right behind me and went over to take a picture with her. It was the sweetest thing I've seen in a long time. What a wonderful night, what a wonderful small town, and what a wonderful guy. Obrigado Caetano e obrigado Brazil.
21 August, 2007
From Summer Into Fall
Yesterday I took my final summer flight back to sweltering North Carolina from Philadelphia. Three out of my four trips to and from Philly this summer have been delayed, and yesterday was #3. (I'm not the only one...) I've grown very accustomed to Gate D2 and all the overpriced, greasy food options that the terminal has to offer. But I got here safely and painlessly, and as I've learned well this summer, I can't complain--even if it is 100 degrees right now.
On August 7th, my sister donated a kidney to my brother at University of Pennsylvania Hospitals in Philly. The whole experience was stressful, overwhelming, and scary, as could be expected. Yet, it was mind-blowing to see that they could actually take a kidney out of one person, put it in the other, and then see very clear improvements in health within a week. In fact, my sister was out of the hospital in 2 days! The whole story is on my other blog, the Tale of Two Kidneys. (I tried seeing if I could change it to three kidneys, but it involved too much of my time that is now becoming more scarce.)
Coming back to North Carolina, where I'm entering my second year as a doctoral student, has been unexpectedly wonderful so far. The main reason is that I am so much more appreciative of what I have (i.e. alive siblings, my own health, two parents, etc.) because of this transplant experience. Granted, luck can change at any moment, and it is only the first day of classes, but I feel more driven to enjoy and revel in every day than ever before.
There are other reasons for my relative happiness too. It is great to be in my own (rental) house again and not sleeping on someone's floor. (It's an awesome house that I am already attached to, more below). Second, my burst blood vessel, hence black eye, is almost completely gone now, so I don't have to wear sunglasses everywhere like a movie star. Third, it is exciting to prepare for the research that our team will be doing in Indonesia and Honduras this year. Fourth, I'm meeting up with friends from last year that I haven't seen in a few months, and that gives me a sense that I'm not such a stranger in this little town. Finally, I'm switching Advisors to someone that I think is quite possibly the best Advisor one could hope for--someone that I click with, share interests with, who has a great sense of humor, and who has extensive experience and insight. All in all, it's a pretty good day and a pretty good start on what I hope will be a pretty good year.
Here are some photos of the house we're renting. It's only a 5 minute walk to Weaver Street Market, the local co-op cafe and grocery store in the center of Carrboro, and a 10 minute bike ride to campus. Our neighborhood is full of quirky neighbors who look out for each other and seem to compete for the best bumper sticker. My housemates are Sydney, Christian, and Sophie the dog.
First, the view from the front and our nice Southern "Sweet Tea" porch:
Our kitchen/dining area (and make-shift bike storage area):
Our living room and entry-way:
And, most precious of all... Miss Sophie:
Before I blow a fuse with all this flaming positivity, I will start opening the very large stack of mail and bills that has accumulated since I left. That should cool me off a little...
On August 7th, my sister donated a kidney to my brother at University of Pennsylvania Hospitals in Philly. The whole experience was stressful, overwhelming, and scary, as could be expected. Yet, it was mind-blowing to see that they could actually take a kidney out of one person, put it in the other, and then see very clear improvements in health within a week. In fact, my sister was out of the hospital in 2 days! The whole story is on my other blog, the Tale of Two Kidneys. (I tried seeing if I could change it to three kidneys, but it involved too much of my time that is now becoming more scarce.)
Coming back to North Carolina, where I'm entering my second year as a doctoral student, has been unexpectedly wonderful so far. The main reason is that I am so much more appreciative of what I have (i.e. alive siblings, my own health, two parents, etc.) because of this transplant experience. Granted, luck can change at any moment, and it is only the first day of classes, but I feel more driven to enjoy and revel in every day than ever before.
There are other reasons for my relative happiness too. It is great to be in my own (rental) house again and not sleeping on someone's floor. (It's an awesome house that I am already attached to, more below). Second, my burst blood vessel, hence black eye, is almost completely gone now, so I don't have to wear sunglasses everywhere like a movie star. Third, it is exciting to prepare for the research that our team will be doing in Indonesia and Honduras this year. Fourth, I'm meeting up with friends from last year that I haven't seen in a few months, and that gives me a sense that I'm not such a stranger in this little town. Finally, I'm switching Advisors to someone that I think is quite possibly the best Advisor one could hope for--someone that I click with, share interests with, who has a great sense of humor, and who has extensive experience and insight. All in all, it's a pretty good day and a pretty good start on what I hope will be a pretty good year.
Here are some photos of the house we're renting. It's only a 5 minute walk to Weaver Street Market, the local co-op cafe and grocery store in the center of Carrboro, and a 10 minute bike ride to campus. Our neighborhood is full of quirky neighbors who look out for each other and seem to compete for the best bumper sticker. My housemates are Sydney, Christian, and Sophie the dog.
First, the view from the front and our nice Southern "Sweet Tea" porch:
Our kitchen/dining area (and make-shift bike storage area):
Our living room and entry-way:
And, most precious of all... Miss Sophie:
Before I blow a fuse with all this flaming positivity, I will start opening the very large stack of mail and bills that has accumulated since I left. That should cool me off a little...
10 July, 2007
Last Mexico Post
I was delaying this as long as possible so as to feel as if the trip were not fading from memory, but alas, it must be wrapped up. After Jalcomulco, Joaquin and I returned to Mexico City to be joined by Hector the next day. I mostly relaxed in the D.F. for a while, buying gifts for family at the Cathedral market and meeting up with an old friend from Costa Rica days who has been living in Mexico City for several years.
The day before I left, Joaquin's father graciously escorted us to the pyramids at Teotihuacan, about 50 miles north of Mexico City. The wikipedia article on this enchanting place is well worth a read. Basically, Teotihuacan is an ancient city that is almost 2000 years old. Can you even imagine what our cities would look like 2000 years from now? Me neither. Well, theirs is still quite impressive, and it is a fascinating mind exercise to try to picture what has occurred there.
Here are some photos from that day, my last fully day in Mexico...
Some great father and son pics:
The day before I left, Joaquin's father graciously escorted us to the pyramids at Teotihuacan, about 50 miles north of Mexico City. The wikipedia article on this enchanting place is well worth a read. Basically, Teotihuacan is an ancient city that is almost 2000 years old. Can you even imagine what our cities would look like 2000 years from now? Me neither. Well, theirs is still quite impressive, and it is a fascinating mind exercise to try to picture what has occurred there.
Here are some photos from that day, my last fully day in Mexico...
Some great father and son pics:
17 June, 2007
Adventures in Jalcomulco
The day after our trip to the small towns around Xalapa, we were on the go again. This time we were off for a 2 day adventure to Jalcomulco, a small river town about 45 minutes by bus from Xalapa. Before heading down to the lowlands near the river, though, we made a pit stop at the Xalapa botanical gardens to catch a glimpse of interesting flowers:
Voluptuous palms:
And the perfect log for Joaquin and I to take turns napping on:
On the way to Jalcomulco, we also hopped off the bus to visit the village where Hector's grandfather was from. The Spanish used to operate a giant, exploitative hacienda there, and after they left Hector's grandfather and his brothers took it over until the business collapsed. Now it is just rotting away, for the most part, although there was a market in the central courtyard when we arrived.
Hector took this shot:
As we approached Jalcomulco, the temperature started to climb up, up, up. We weren't all that prepared in our jeans, so we started to sweat, sweat, sweat. Jalcomulco sits along the edge of a beautiful mango tree-lined river valley that is well-known for rafting and other river adventures.
The first thing we did was gorge ourselves on a huge lunch at the river adventure home base, and then we sat around in the hammocks for a while.
Then, we headed out to do the tiroleza, basically a canopy cable across the river valley. It was worth the money!
We ended the afternoon with a Temescal. This is essentially an indigenous sweat lodge, where we spent about 20 minutes in circular form around some very hot coals, spread mud all over our bodies, and then shared some group dedications and prayers. It felt wonderful to come out and take a cold shower, and the overall experience was cleansing and refreshing.
That night we stayed in a hotel, and the following day we began our river rafting adventure. Actually, the rapids were pretty easy compared to my last (and only other) rafting trip. Luckily we didn't capsize! We did jump out a few times when it was safe to swim, though. All in all, we spent about 2.5 or 3 hours on the river, which was just the right about of time to appreciate it fully.
At the end of our trip, we got out of the water and walked over a very rickety old bridge (with old boards and huge gaps between them) across the river and into town to have lunch and prepare to leave.
We had to wait for the bus for a while, during a thunderstorm that luckily never poured on us, so we took some more photos in the meantime...
We arrived at Xalapa early in the evening, mosquito-bitten and sunburned. I took a much-needed shower and a long nap, but almost everyone else went right back out to explore Xalapa. More power to them!
Voluptuous palms:
And the perfect log for Joaquin and I to take turns napping on:
On the way to Jalcomulco, we also hopped off the bus to visit the village where Hector's grandfather was from. The Spanish used to operate a giant, exploitative hacienda there, and after they left Hector's grandfather and his brothers took it over until the business collapsed. Now it is just rotting away, for the most part, although there was a market in the central courtyard when we arrived.
Hector took this shot:
As we approached Jalcomulco, the temperature started to climb up, up, up. We weren't all that prepared in our jeans, so we started to sweat, sweat, sweat. Jalcomulco sits along the edge of a beautiful mango tree-lined river valley that is well-known for rafting and other river adventures.
The first thing we did was gorge ourselves on a huge lunch at the river adventure home base, and then we sat around in the hammocks for a while.
Then, we headed out to do the tiroleza, basically a canopy cable across the river valley. It was worth the money!
We ended the afternoon with a Temescal. This is essentially an indigenous sweat lodge, where we spent about 20 minutes in circular form around some very hot coals, spread mud all over our bodies, and then shared some group dedications and prayers. It felt wonderful to come out and take a cold shower, and the overall experience was cleansing and refreshing.
That night we stayed in a hotel, and the following day we began our river rafting adventure. Actually, the rapids were pretty easy compared to my last (and only other) rafting trip. Luckily we didn't capsize! We did jump out a few times when it was safe to swim, though. All in all, we spent about 2.5 or 3 hours on the river, which was just the right about of time to appreciate it fully.
At the end of our trip, we got out of the water and walked over a very rickety old bridge (with old boards and huge gaps between them) across the river and into town to have lunch and prepare to leave.
We had to wait for the bus for a while, during a thunderstorm that luckily never poured on us, so we took some more photos in the meantime...
We arrived at Xalapa early in the evening, mosquito-bitten and sunburned. I took a much-needed shower and a long nap, but almost everyone else went right back out to explore Xalapa. More power to them!
15 June, 2007
Xalapa, Xico, and Coatepec
The day after we got back from Las Cañadas, a Sunday, we hung out with Hector's family during the day at the Horse Races. They had equestrians from all over the country competing to represent Mexico. This is Hector, his sister, and her two children, Kenia and Gael.
In the evening, Joaquin arrived from Mexico City with Berkeley friends Patricia and Andreas. Their bus was delayed because a giant rock fell from a cliff onto their bus, shattering the window in front of their seat. The bus had to stop in Puebla to report it. But, they made it safely in the end.
The next day, we set out early to enjoy Hector's personalized tour of the small towns surrounding Xalapa. We started by getting a tour of Hector's house and then heading off to breakfast in Xalapa. Here are Hector, his mom, and his sister on the roof of their house, which they built after Hector's father won the lottery.
His mom loves plants:
These are the views from the roof of their house:
We walked to downtown Xalapa to go to breakfast, passing the main cathedral and park (in colonial form) and some very interesting sculptures:
We had breakfast down an artsy alley:
On this street:
After breakfast, we took a stroll toward the direction of a local bus to the town of Xico. On the way, I took a few pictures.
When the bus dropped us off in Xico, a tiny little town, we were able to follow Hector's lead along the zigzagging path to a huge waterfall. It was a very cute little town, actually, and the walk was a pleasure. It took us through cobblestone streets, past brightly colored houses, a car blasting Joplin's "The Entertainer" over a loud megaphone, and vast banana and coffee plantation.
The king of the house:
Then we finally reached the waterfall, taking some huge rope bridges across the valley. This is where they filmed "Romancing the Stone."
This is the main waterfall (Hector took this one):
And these shots were from above the falls, where there is another, smaller waterfall:
That's Joaquin, becoming one with the waterfall:
We left the waterfall and walked the 3 km or more back to town, where we took more photos, went to the cathedral, and found a really good restaurant with screeching birds and delicious mole.
The view from the Xico cathedral:
After Xico, we took another local bus to Coatepec, a bigger town that is essentially a suburb of Xalapa. Coatepec had a store with great coffee from a family-owned and grown farm. I brought some back to NJ and tasted it--it was smooth and delicious.
After a short visit to their cathedral (above), we had some bad cappuccinos in a wonderful park. Joaquin spiced them up with his newly acquired pure vanilla extract, which is native of Mexico. We sat there for at least an hour, people watching and being watched--the Latin American way!
From the park, we jumped on one final local bus back to Xalapa and called it a day.
In the evening, Joaquin arrived from Mexico City with Berkeley friends Patricia and Andreas. Their bus was delayed because a giant rock fell from a cliff onto their bus, shattering the window in front of their seat. The bus had to stop in Puebla to report it. But, they made it safely in the end.
The next day, we set out early to enjoy Hector's personalized tour of the small towns surrounding Xalapa. We started by getting a tour of Hector's house and then heading off to breakfast in Xalapa. Here are Hector, his mom, and his sister on the roof of their house, which they built after Hector's father won the lottery.
His mom loves plants:
These are the views from the roof of their house:
We walked to downtown Xalapa to go to breakfast, passing the main cathedral and park (in colonial form) and some very interesting sculptures:
We had breakfast down an artsy alley:
On this street:
After breakfast, we took a stroll toward the direction of a local bus to the town of Xico. On the way, I took a few pictures.
When the bus dropped us off in Xico, a tiny little town, we were able to follow Hector's lead along the zigzagging path to a huge waterfall. It was a very cute little town, actually, and the walk was a pleasure. It took us through cobblestone streets, past brightly colored houses, a car blasting Joplin's "The Entertainer" over a loud megaphone, and vast banana and coffee plantation.
The king of the house:
Then we finally reached the waterfall, taking some huge rope bridges across the valley. This is where they filmed "Romancing the Stone."
This is the main waterfall (Hector took this one):
And these shots were from above the falls, where there is another, smaller waterfall:
That's Joaquin, becoming one with the waterfall:
We left the waterfall and walked the 3 km or more back to town, where we took more photos, went to the cathedral, and found a really good restaurant with screeching birds and delicious mole.
The view from the Xico cathedral:
After Xico, we took another local bus to Coatepec, a bigger town that is essentially a suburb of Xalapa. Coatepec had a store with great coffee from a family-owned and grown farm. I brought some back to NJ and tasted it--it was smooth and delicious.
After a short visit to their cathedral (above), we had some bad cappuccinos in a wonderful park. Joaquin spiced them up with his newly acquired pure vanilla extract, which is native of Mexico. We sat there for at least an hour, people watching and being watched--the Latin American way!
From the park, we jumped on one final local bus back to Xalapa and called it a day.
09 June, 2007
Las Cañadas
After having a delicious lunch in Puebla and roaming around the town for a bit, Hector and I jumped back on the bus for a 3 hour bus ride past more mountains to Xalapa, his hometown. A photo from the ride:
We arrived at his mother's house at around 10pm, with just enough time to shower and get to bed before rising at 6:30 the next morning to go to Las Cañadas. When I woke the next morning, Hector, his mother, and his sister had made a delicious breakfast of yogurt with fresh fruit and granola, as well as little homemade corn tortillas with refried beans and mushrooms (and they made tofu for me, the vegetarian!). It was delicious. Afterwards, Hector's 5 year old nephew, Gael, offered me a candy from his collection, pouring them out of the storage space in his toy truck and then sorting them into categories so that I could easily choose. We were out the door by 7:30 because we had to be at Las Cañadas at 10 for the tour.
Las Cañadas is an agro-ecological cooperative that has been operating since 1995. They were started by one family to preserve 406 hectares of land in the mist forest in one of the many riparian valleys that start in the mountains and flow into rivers further downstream in the state of Veracruz. Originally, when they started in 1995, most of the valley was deforested and overgrazed.
This is common throughout Latin America and the U.S., where people bring in far more cattle than the land can healthfully support, destroying the natural forest that filters water, serves as a habitat, and maintains biodiversity. The founders of Las Cañadas decided to rehabilitate a large portion of their land by removing the cattle and replanting native species. 9 years later, in 2004, the area had been restored as a young and healthy mist forest.
In the beginning, Las Cañadas was set up not only to preserve the land, but also to build a self-sustaining way of life and spread information about sustainable living through ecotourism. Currently, in 2007, the focus has expanded to include course offerings in various aspects of sustainability, such as agro-ecology and bio-intensive cultivation, eco-technology and renewable resources, and green-building on compacted land. They also grow 60-70% of all the food that they eat, which is vegetarian and organic. They compost every form of human, animal, and plant waste, and use it to fertilize their next crops. They have a dry toilet system for the human waste, and a solar power system in place for energy. Their next plan is to reach out into the broader community to gather data and collaborate more with local NGOs to enhance sustainable livelihoods in the local region.
Here are some photos from our tour, starting with the view from the headquarters.
The main buildings, with the kitchen and dining area:
One of the dormitories:
The classroom:
The farm:
After the farm tour, they took us on a short hike through the rehabilitated forest, which was inspiring.
Afterwards, we went back to the headquarters, where they had made a delicious lunch for us. Then, we got a ride back to the bus station and took the 2 hour bus ride back to Xalapa. Once again, we returned around 8:30 pm. It was a long, but fascinating day.
We arrived at his mother's house at around 10pm, with just enough time to shower and get to bed before rising at 6:30 the next morning to go to Las Cañadas. When I woke the next morning, Hector, his mother, and his sister had made a delicious breakfast of yogurt with fresh fruit and granola, as well as little homemade corn tortillas with refried beans and mushrooms (and they made tofu for me, the vegetarian!). It was delicious. Afterwards, Hector's 5 year old nephew, Gael, offered me a candy from his collection, pouring them out of the storage space in his toy truck and then sorting them into categories so that I could easily choose. We were out the door by 7:30 because we had to be at Las Cañadas at 10 for the tour.
Las Cañadas is an agro-ecological cooperative that has been operating since 1995. They were started by one family to preserve 406 hectares of land in the mist forest in one of the many riparian valleys that start in the mountains and flow into rivers further downstream in the state of Veracruz. Originally, when they started in 1995, most of the valley was deforested and overgrazed.
This is common throughout Latin America and the U.S., where people bring in far more cattle than the land can healthfully support, destroying the natural forest that filters water, serves as a habitat, and maintains biodiversity. The founders of Las Cañadas decided to rehabilitate a large portion of their land by removing the cattle and replanting native species. 9 years later, in 2004, the area had been restored as a young and healthy mist forest.
In the beginning, Las Cañadas was set up not only to preserve the land, but also to build a self-sustaining way of life and spread information about sustainable living through ecotourism. Currently, in 2007, the focus has expanded to include course offerings in various aspects of sustainability, such as agro-ecology and bio-intensive cultivation, eco-technology and renewable resources, and green-building on compacted land. They also grow 60-70% of all the food that they eat, which is vegetarian and organic. They compost every form of human, animal, and plant waste, and use it to fertilize their next crops. They have a dry toilet system for the human waste, and a solar power system in place for energy. Their next plan is to reach out into the broader community to gather data and collaborate more with local NGOs to enhance sustainable livelihoods in the local region.
Here are some photos from our tour, starting with the view from the headquarters.
The main buildings, with the kitchen and dining area:
One of the dormitories:
The classroom:
The farm:
After the farm tour, they took us on a short hike through the rehabilitated forest, which was inspiring.
Afterwards, we went back to the headquarters, where they had made a delicious lunch for us. Then, we got a ride back to the bus station and took the 2 hour bus ride back to Xalapa. Once again, we returned around 8:30 pm. It was a long, but fascinating day.
08 June, 2007
Puebla
Just a two hour bus ride east around the mountains from Mexico City will take you to the very cute city of Puebla.
Puebla was a colonial city that still maintains much of its Spanish character, especially near the cathedral and park.
These shots of cafes and an atrium could be taken in Paris, or Spain--but no...
Just like Sevilla:
Puebla is known for being the birth place of mole, the delicious sauce made from chocolate, peppers, and other spices.
It is also known for camotes, sweet candies made from sweet potato.
Hector took me to the artisan market, which is full to the brim of things to buy. And, just in case you were in doubt, the spirit of capitalism is duly blessed...
Just walking around town, you can find many little gems. Like hibiscus:
Strange fruits:
And a statue at a doctor's office that I like to call, "Dolor de Cabeza." (Headache)
Puebla was a colonial city that still maintains much of its Spanish character, especially near the cathedral and park.
These shots of cafes and an atrium could be taken in Paris, or Spain--but no...
Just like Sevilla:
Puebla is known for being the birth place of mole, the delicious sauce made from chocolate, peppers, and other spices.
It is also known for camotes, sweet candies made from sweet potato.
Hector took me to the artisan market, which is full to the brim of things to buy. And, just in case you were in doubt, the spirit of capitalism is duly blessed...
Just walking around town, you can find many little gems. Like hibiscus:
Strange fruits:
And a statue at a doctor's office that I like to call, "Dolor de Cabeza." (Headache)
06 June, 2007
Back in NJ
I made it safely back to New Jersey on Sunday evening, and was welcomed by pouring rain and lightning. The rain was so loud on the roof where I was supposed to sleep that I didn't sleep much that night! Oh well... I am recovered now and ready to start posting some photos from the trip.
Here are some maps of where I went on my 11 day trip:
First, Mexico City, that huge megalopolis of a city! The metro region is almost 20 million people, and it expands out from the center in all directions.
Actually, Mexico City was founded by the Aztecs in the 1300s as Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Then, when the Spanish arrived (Cortes) and conquested the city, they smashed most of the Aztec city, tearing down the pyramids and making cathedrals out of them. When we went to the historical center of the city, the Zócalo, we could easily see proof of that.
Pyramids, right next to the cathedral:
Because Mexico City is built on a lake, everything is gradually sinking! And, that is not the only geological problem with the city. It is also surrounded by volcanoes and in a prime earthquake zone. Perfect place for 20 million people, don'tcha think?
Today, Mexico City is a thriving, global city. Joaquin lives in the chic neighborhood of La Condesa, where they used to have a race track (now it is turned into a neighborhood park). La Condesa is brimming with upscale, trendy (and expensive) restaurants, artists, nightlife, and old houses.
We went to the National Palace, which has beautiful murals painted by Diego Rivera.
Right across from the National Palace is the Zócalo, the main square with the cathedral.
We also went to Bellas Artes, a fine art museum with more murals inside.
You can take the metro just about anywhere in Mexico City, as long as you don't want to go to the suburbs or the informal poverty belts, in which case, you take little green minibuses that make traffic nuisances of themselves throughout the city. The metro goes to the airport, the bus terminals, the city center, etc. all for 2 pesos! (about .2 of a penny). I got yelled at by a ticket vendor once, though, because I thought the tickets were 1 peso each. Oops!
Even though the transportation system works well and is used often, the smog and traffic in the city are HORRENDOUS. I mean really, really bad. The volcanoes surrounding the city trap all the air in , so when there is no wind, the air becomes almost unbreathable. Your eyes start to water, you feel really tired, your throat gets sore, and you start coughing a lot. When it rains or if there is a strong wind, it washes away some of the pollution, and we were lucky to have a few of those days. Still, it is no laughing matter.
(Image from Wikipedia)
On our way to a neighborhood called Tepito, where the shoe-making master lives, we went to the plaza of 3 cultures: Pre-Hispanic, Colonial, and Modern. Here, you can see why it has that name.
I found some swing sets:
Here's the informal market in Tepito, which stretches for miles and miles in every direction:
A gym in Tepito:
And a licensed bike:
Mmmm, frutas...
Mmmm, jugos de frutas...
And artisans everywhere:
Here are some maps of where I went on my 11 day trip:
First, Mexico City, that huge megalopolis of a city! The metro region is almost 20 million people, and it expands out from the center in all directions.
Actually, Mexico City was founded by the Aztecs in the 1300s as Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Then, when the Spanish arrived (Cortes) and conquested the city, they smashed most of the Aztec city, tearing down the pyramids and making cathedrals out of them. When we went to the historical center of the city, the Zócalo, we could easily see proof of that.
Pyramids, right next to the cathedral:
Today, Mexico City is a thriving, global city. Joaquin lives in the chic neighborhood of La Condesa, where they used to have a race track (now it is turned into a neighborhood park). La Condesa is brimming with upscale, trendy (and expensive) restaurants, artists, nightlife, and old houses.
We went to the National Palace, which has beautiful murals painted by Diego Rivera.
Right across from the National Palace is the Zócalo, the main square with the cathedral.
We also went to Bellas Artes, a fine art museum with more murals inside.
You can take the metro just about anywhere in Mexico City, as long as you don't want to go to the suburbs or the informal poverty belts, in which case, you take little green minibuses that make traffic nuisances of themselves throughout the city. The metro goes to the airport, the bus terminals, the city center, etc. all for 2 pesos! (about .2 of a penny). I got yelled at by a ticket vendor once, though, because I thought the tickets were 1 peso each. Oops!
Even though the transportation system works well and is used often, the smog and traffic in the city are HORRENDOUS. I mean really, really bad. The volcanoes surrounding the city trap all the air in , so when there is no wind, the air becomes almost unbreathable. Your eyes start to water, you feel really tired, your throat gets sore, and you start coughing a lot. When it rains or if there is a strong wind, it washes away some of the pollution, and we were lucky to have a few of those days. Still, it is no laughing matter.
(Image from Wikipedia)On our way to a neighborhood called Tepito, where the shoe-making master lives, we went to the plaza of 3 cultures: Pre-Hispanic, Colonial, and Modern. Here, you can see why it has that name.
I found some swing sets:
Here's the informal market in Tepito, which stretches for miles and miles in every direction:
A gym in Tepito:
And a licensed bike:
Mmmm, frutas...
Mmmm, jugos de frutas...
And artisans everywhere:
26 May, 2007
Estamos en Jalapa
Hector and I just arrived a few hours ago at his parent's house in Jalapa, Mexico after a long journey. We left Mexico City at around 11:15 am and arrived around 9:30 pm! Actually, we took a long detour in Puebla, a colonial city 2 hours from Mexico city (on the other side of the mountains). It was a beautiful place, with many, many churches. We had lunch at a great restaurant that served me some Enchiladas con Mole Poblano. Mole was invented in Puebla, so I had to try it! It was delicioso! Then, we boarded a three hour bus for Jalapa, passing beautiful countryside with cacti the whole way.
In the last few days, I've had a great time exploring Mexico City with Joaquin and Hector. They've been the best guides one could possibly ask for. We visited the historic (colonial) downtown, with the 2nd largest plaza in the world, Zocolo. We had breakfast at two very charming restaurants, one with traditional Mexican food, and the other at Cafe Habana, where Che and Castro used to meet. Hector took me to the murals by Diego Rivera at the Palacio Nacional, and then to see some others by various artists at the Museo de Bellas Artes. Since Joaquin had to work (pobrecito!), Hector also took me to meet a master shoemaker in Tepito, a neighborhood of Mexico City that has a massive informal market that seems to stretch forever. A very wise man, he has trained people in making shoes for over 25 years as a method of community development. He was full of stories to tell about Mexican society, migration, and empowerment.
Tomorrow we will rise early for a 2 hour journey to an agro-ecological community development project that Hector and Joaquin are getting involved with for their NGO. It's already 11:30 here, so I better get to sleep. Photos will have to be posted after I return to the states, but I've got over 250 already!
In the last few days, I've had a great time exploring Mexico City with Joaquin and Hector. They've been the best guides one could possibly ask for. We visited the historic (colonial) downtown, with the 2nd largest plaza in the world, Zocolo. We had breakfast at two very charming restaurants, one with traditional Mexican food, and the other at Cafe Habana, where Che and Castro used to meet. Hector took me to the murals by Diego Rivera at the Palacio Nacional, and then to see some others by various artists at the Museo de Bellas Artes. Since Joaquin had to work (pobrecito!), Hector also took me to meet a master shoemaker in Tepito, a neighborhood of Mexico City that has a massive informal market that seems to stretch forever. A very wise man, he has trained people in making shoes for over 25 years as a method of community development. He was full of stories to tell about Mexican society, migration, and empowerment.
Tomorrow we will rise early for a 2 hour journey to an agro-ecological community development project that Hector and Joaquin are getting involved with for their NGO. It's already 11:30 here, so I better get to sleep. Photos will have to be posted after I return to the states, but I've got over 250 already!
22 May, 2007
Llego a Mexico!
I arrived safely in Mexico City for a short trip to visit Joaquin and Hector. As we approached the city, I could see the smog grow thicker and thicker, until we could hardly see very far from the plane! The smog gets trapped here because of the mountains surrounding this city of over 20 million people. The flight was only 4.5 hours, and I breezed through customs very easily. I found Joaquin and Hector right away in the airport, and we hopped on the freeway to Joaquin's new apartment in La Condesa, a "bohemian" neighborhood with lots of artists and hipsters. We're about to go grab some food.
Hasta Luego!
Hasta Luego!
04 May, 2007
Just when I thought the weddings were over
...BAM! I'm slammed again! Last week I went to San Diego to whitness the nuptuals of childhood friend Brooke and Sean.
It was a family and old-time friend affair, full of anxiety:
lots of drinking:
happy moments (bride's mom and brother):
sad moments (bride and dad):
moviestar moments (that's the bride):
old friend (more like sibling) moments:
and cold moments! The temp dropped VERY low when darkness fell. Don't have photos of that, unfortunately, because it was dark, but it was quite a sight.
Here's the happy couple again:
(and yes, that is an outhouse in the background). The place was in a beautiful desert valley spot, sheltered by trees and complemented with beautiful classical guitar music.
They are now in Costa Rica, the lucky bastards! I'm back in Carolina working on final papers. Bleh.
It was a family and old-time friend affair, full of anxiety:
lots of drinking:
happy moments (bride's mom and brother):
sad moments (bride and dad):
moviestar moments (that's the bride):
old friend (more like sibling) moments:
and cold moments! The temp dropped VERY low when darkness fell. Don't have photos of that, unfortunately, because it was dark, but it was quite a sight.
Here's the happy couple again:
(and yes, that is an outhouse in the background). The place was in a beautiful desert valley spot, sheltered by trees and complemented with beautiful classical guitar music.They are now in Costa Rica, the lucky bastards! I'm back in Carolina working on final papers. Bleh.
29 March, 2007
Trip Back to the Bay
Here are some photos from my wonderful trip back to the Bay Area for spring break. First, I went to see Diamond and Torbertha, the young women I mentor through the International Rescue Committee. My old roommate Susie has been working with them since I left the Bay Area. Susie and I took them up to the top of Mount Tam.
Here are Diamond, Susie, Patience, and Torbertha (Left to Right).
Susie and Diamond on Mt. Tam.
The view of San Francisco from Mt. Tam.
Torbertha is in Cal Upward Bound, and has been going to UC Berkeley for it every week for the past year. She also applied for the Stanford medical summer camp, pulling the application together in record time! Here's Torbertha doing a little dance:
Torbertha and me:
Diamond just heard that she got into UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis with scholarship money! Waho000000000! Go Diamond! She's still waiting to hear from UC Berkeley and UCLA. We should know sometime this week! Here's Diamond, with the sunset shining on her:
The next day, I went hiking with some old friends in Wildcat Canyon. It was a gorgeous day!
Micheline and Paul (I worked with Micheline at SPR):
Matt and Mae (Matt lived at I-House, and Mae is in Susie's program):
It is clear why the housing costs are so high in the Bay Area...
I wanna go back.
Here are Diamond, Susie, Patience, and Torbertha (Left to Right).
Susie and Diamond on Mt. Tam.
The view of San Francisco from Mt. Tam.
Torbertha is in Cal Upward Bound, and has been going to UC Berkeley for it every week for the past year. She also applied for the Stanford medical summer camp, pulling the application together in record time! Here's Torbertha doing a little dance:
Torbertha and me:
Diamond just heard that she got into UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis with scholarship money! Waho000000000! Go Diamond! She's still waiting to hear from UC Berkeley and UCLA. We should know sometime this week! Here's Diamond, with the sunset shining on her:
The next day, I went hiking with some old friends in Wildcat Canyon. It was a gorgeous day!
Micheline and Paul (I worked with Micheline at SPR):
Matt and Mae (Matt lived at I-House, and Mae is in Susie's program):
It is clear why the housing costs are so high in the Bay Area...
I wanna go back.
20 January, 2007
Introducing my new blog
I've just started A Tale of Two Kidneys, a new blog in honor of my brother, who was just diagnosed with Kidney Disease. I started fresh because it is too somber for this blog, which is going to retain its travel theme. Tale of Two Kidneys will be a place for collecting info, links, research, and thoughts on this experience with Kidney disease and transplantation.
05 August, 2006
The Paris of the Piedmont
...otherwise known as the small town of Carrboro, is west of Chapel Hill and my official town of residence now. Population ~ 17,000.
From Wikipedia:
Carrboro has gained a reputation as one of the most progressive communities in the Southern United States. Popularly known as "The Paris of the Piedmont" because of its thriving arts scene, Carrboro was also the first municipality in North Carolina to elect an openly gay mayor, Mike Nelson, in 1995 and the first municipality in the state to grant domestic-partner benefits to same-sex couples. In October 2002, Carrboro was among the first municipalities in the South to pass resolutions opposing the Iraq War and the USA PATRIOT Act.
Carrboro is known for the Carrboro Music Festival, an all-day event celebrating local music with performances throughout downtown. The music festival began in 1998 as the Fête de la Musique, and was held on the summer solstice. In 2002, the name of the event was changed to the Carrboro Music Festival. In order to increase attendance, the event was moved to the fall, avoiding the summer heat. Carrboro is also home to the two-day annual Carrboro International Poetry Festival created by former Carrboro Poet Laureate Patrick Herron.
Carrboro has some similarities to berkeley, in terms of the people, but not the architecture. Here's the story of why it is called "the Paris of the Piedmont." Kinda quirky, but okay...
While not having an Eiffel Tower equivalent, the area does have its (Southern) charms. I should know by now, since I've been walking ALL OVER this place since Tuesday. If the weather weren't so HOT, walking so much wouldn't be a big deal. But, I have adjusted somewhat to the heat and started taking certain measures to ensure a relatively tolerable state of coolness. Like showering often and stopping in air conditioned stores or cafes on my way somewhere. I can't wait until I have a bike.
And now, the charms:
1. My new apt
Bharat and Soumya helped me identify the White Oak apartment complex as a good place to live, and Jessica put me in touch with my new roommate, Emily, whom I haven't met yet (she's in DC until mid-August). But, the apartment is pretty great. It is just about as close as one could get to downtown Carrboro, and a flat bikeride to campus. It is less than a 10 min walk to the infamous Weaver Street Market (see charm #2), and Open Eye Cafe (see charm #3). And there is a bus, which is air-conditioned, but runs only once an hour. The apt itself is spacious with hard-wood floors, a/c (which I try not to set too high), and a sizable room for me. It is also on the corner, so we only have noise from one neighbor and a nice plot of grass to hang out on.
This is White Oaks (Our apt is on the far right):
This is our entrance:
The living Room:
The Kitchen:
The Back Porch:
The Entryway:
2. Weaver Street Market
A member-owned cooperative, this market is stocked with many healthy and locally grown items, including great produce, vitamins, and a decent selection of "ethnic" foods (I hate that phrase!). The staff are friendly, and they give discounts to members. For practical purposes, the Weaver Street Market is truly the center of the Carrboro community. This is where you run into everyone you know and hang out with a cup of organic coffee, some bulk granola, and yoga magazine. There is live music every Thursday (I think?) and there are plenty of other events, like "hooping" (hula hooping, but without the hula--not sure why...). Unfortunately, the owner of the land itself has caused some ripples of late by prohibiting some guy from dancing on the property. It has the town talkin'. Overall, though, Weaver Street is a great asset to the community, and it is the type of place that one would think you'd find in Berkeley, but instead it is in Carrboro.
3. Open Eye Cafe
This used to be a tiny cafe when I first visited, but now they have expanded into a huge space in downtown Carrboro. Serving up great coffee and tea, this place has friendly staff, plenty of seats, and nice music (live and otherwise). They also host meetings for community groups from time to time, which is very neighborly of them. Apparently, one of the owners was selected to be a coffee judge in Zurich recently, so I suppose that means they know their coffee (source: bathroom walls). Definitely one of the best cafes I know about in the US.
4. The Carrboro Farmer's Market
Held Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, the farmer's market is located right next to my apartment complex. It is full of people and produce, and allows you to buy right from the local farmers. One of my neighbors showed me around this morning, and it was great to see so much fresh food and so many people taking advantage of it.
So, that's a start. Hey, I've only been here a few days, so the list needs more time to develop.
Bye for now, y'all!
From Wikipedia:
Carrboro has gained a reputation as one of the most progressive communities in the Southern United States. Popularly known as "The Paris of the Piedmont" because of its thriving arts scene, Carrboro was also the first municipality in North Carolina to elect an openly gay mayor, Mike Nelson, in 1995 and the first municipality in the state to grant domestic-partner benefits to same-sex couples. In October 2002, Carrboro was among the first municipalities in the South to pass resolutions opposing the Iraq War and the USA PATRIOT Act.
Carrboro is known for the Carrboro Music Festival, an all-day event celebrating local music with performances throughout downtown. The music festival began in 1998 as the Fête de la Musique, and was held on the summer solstice. In 2002, the name of the event was changed to the Carrboro Music Festival. In order to increase attendance, the event was moved to the fall, avoiding the summer heat. Carrboro is also home to the two-day annual Carrboro International Poetry Festival created by former Carrboro Poet Laureate Patrick Herron.
Carrboro has some similarities to berkeley, in terms of the people, but not the architecture. Here's the story of why it is called "the Paris of the Piedmont." Kinda quirky, but okay...
While not having an Eiffel Tower equivalent, the area does have its (Southern) charms. I should know by now, since I've been walking ALL OVER this place since Tuesday. If the weather weren't so HOT, walking so much wouldn't be a big deal. But, I have adjusted somewhat to the heat and started taking certain measures to ensure a relatively tolerable state of coolness. Like showering often and stopping in air conditioned stores or cafes on my way somewhere. I can't wait until I have a bike.
And now, the charms:
1. My new apt
Bharat and Soumya helped me identify the White Oak apartment complex as a good place to live, and Jessica put me in touch with my new roommate, Emily, whom I haven't met yet (she's in DC until mid-August). But, the apartment is pretty great. It is just about as close as one could get to downtown Carrboro, and a flat bikeride to campus. It is less than a 10 min walk to the infamous Weaver Street Market (see charm #2), and Open Eye Cafe (see charm #3). And there is a bus, which is air-conditioned, but runs only once an hour. The apt itself is spacious with hard-wood floors, a/c (which I try not to set too high), and a sizable room for me. It is also on the corner, so we only have noise from one neighbor and a nice plot of grass to hang out on.
This is White Oaks (Our apt is on the far right):
This is our entrance:
The living Room:
The Kitchen:
The Back Porch:
The Entryway:
2. Weaver Street Market
A member-owned cooperative, this market is stocked with many healthy and locally grown items, including great produce, vitamins, and a decent selection of "ethnic" foods (I hate that phrase!). The staff are friendly, and they give discounts to members. For practical purposes, the Weaver Street Market is truly the center of the Carrboro community. This is where you run into everyone you know and hang out with a cup of organic coffee, some bulk granola, and yoga magazine. There is live music every Thursday (I think?) and there are plenty of other events, like "hooping" (hula hooping, but without the hula--not sure why...). Unfortunately, the owner of the land itself has caused some ripples of late by prohibiting some guy from dancing on the property. It has the town talkin'. Overall, though, Weaver Street is a great asset to the community, and it is the type of place that one would think you'd find in Berkeley, but instead it is in Carrboro.
3. Open Eye Cafe
This used to be a tiny cafe when I first visited, but now they have expanded into a huge space in downtown Carrboro. Serving up great coffee and tea, this place has friendly staff, plenty of seats, and nice music (live and otherwise). They also host meetings for community groups from time to time, which is very neighborly of them. Apparently, one of the owners was selected to be a coffee judge in Zurich recently, so I suppose that means they know their coffee (source: bathroom walls). Definitely one of the best cafes I know about in the US.
4. The Carrboro Farmer's Market
Held Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, the farmer's market is located right next to my apartment complex. It is full of people and produce, and allows you to buy right from the local farmers. One of my neighbors showed me around this morning, and it was great to see so much fresh food and so many people taking advantage of it.
So, that's a start. Hey, I've only been here a few days, so the list needs more time to develop.
Bye for now, y'all!
A Taste of East Coast Culture
Going to "THE SHORE" is a cumpulsory activity for anyone living on the midatlantic coast if they aspire to become a true east coaster. In New Jersey, some of our beaches are quite nice, contrary to the images of NJ that tend to get propogated by people who never leave the Turnpike. Every year, my family goes to Cape May Point, on the southernmost tip of NJ. It is NJ's version of Cape Cod. Cape May Point is a tiny little community that is intentionally kept small, hence the property values are astronomical and the area changes very slowly. It is very quiet and adjacent to a bird sanctuary, so it is relaxing, but boring to some. Cape May itself is a tacky Victorian/Dollhouse/frilly/antique type town that attracts folks who are into those things. Nearby Cape May Point is famous for its lighthouse and Sunset Beach. Here are some photos of Sunset Beach and my cousin Sharon with her daughter Katherine.
Another popular summer ritual among the "Jersey Girls" and the "Jersey Boys" is going mini-golfing. I went with My Oma (grandmother), Tante Joni (aunt), cousins Ryan and Erik, my sister, Nicki, and her boyfriend, Jim.
Other rituals at The Shore include:
*"Becoming a Lobster": Sunbathing until you turn red or dark brown (not my thing)
*Going to Atlantic City or the nearest arcade/casino/boardwalk/etc.
*Eating lots of ice cream
*Body surfing or boogie-boarding
*Riding bikes, rollerblading, or jogging along the beach
*Smelling like sun tan oil and sunscreen all day
*Taking long walks on the beach at dusk
*Doing puzzles inside when it rains
*Going to the farm stand to get Jersey Corn, Jersey Peaches, blueberries, and Jersey Tomatoes. (They don't call it the "Garden State" for nuthin'!)
And, in Cape May Point, in July, I will add:
*Running out of the water writhing in pain because you just got stung by a jellyfish
Henceforth, you can consider yourself informed about the Jersey Shore Culture. Consider paying "THE SHORE" a visit someday to get the full effect.
*"Becoming a Lobster": Sunbathing until you turn red or dark brown (not my thing)
*Going to Atlantic City or the nearest arcade/casino/boardwalk/etc.
*Eating lots of ice cream
*Body surfing or boogie-boarding
*Riding bikes, rollerblading, or jogging along the beach
*Smelling like sun tan oil and sunscreen all day
*Taking long walks on the beach at dusk
*Doing puzzles inside when it rains
*Going to the farm stand to get Jersey Corn, Jersey Peaches, blueberries, and Jersey Tomatoes. (They don't call it the "Garden State"
And, in Cape May Point, in July, I will add:
*Running out of the water writhing in pain because you just got stung by a jellyfish
Henceforth, you can consider yourself informed about the Jersey Shore Culture. Consider paying "THE SHORE"
04 August, 2006
Going to the Chapel and I'm...
Going to school!
Well, I can see plenty of sunshine down here in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It's bloody HOT! Of course, it is hot just about everywhere on the east coast right now, so at least we are not lonely in our sweating.
This past weekend was Molly's wedding in Boston. She and James had a Jewish/New Zealand wedding. I realized that I've been going to a lot of Kiwi weddings this year--the one in Cambridge was also half Kiwi. Maybe it is a sign that I should go there!
The wedding had some great unique moments, such as when Molly busted out with "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story during the reception. Great call, Molly! And the Kiwi's did the Haka.
James danced with Molly, which doesn't sound special, but it was because he doesn't like to dance. And the rings were delivered on a rugby ball during the ceremony. There were a lot of Brandeisians there, which was a blast.
The Happy Couple:
Here's the radiant bride:
The glowing groom (in gold):
Some Brandeisians:
Deepa and Govind, another recently married couple:
and Susie Q (my roommate in Berkeley):
These are my Boston girls, Eve, Molly, and Becky, getting take-out:
The past few years have been slammed with weddings. At each of them, I have numerous conversations with other slammed folks about the upsides and downsides of being slammed with weddings. Here's a brief summary, since it is fresh in my mind (Molly, if you read this, it is not about your wedding--it is more general):
Upsides:
*You can travel to far away places, some that you have never seen and others that allow you to visit your old stomping grounds
*You can catch up with old friends
*You can often get a nice meal out of it
*Some families and sets of friends really know how to have fun (others not so much...)
*You get to see what elements of each wedding are keepers, and what elements are complete flops. This is especially useful if you plan to have a wedding of your own someday. Not so much if you won't.
*You get to get all decked out and watch people checking each other out
*There are sometimes relatives or friends who are hot. Hence the cliche of meeting someone at a wedding.
Downsides:
*You have to travel a WHOLE LOT. Planes, trains, autos, buses for hours and hours.
*You end up spending a lot of money (they don't call weddings an industry for nothing)
*You sometimes have to sit through some long, boring speeches
*You sometimes have to sing a very difficult, cheesy song without practicing in front of hundreds of people that you don't know or make a fool out of yourself in some similar way (this was a recent experience)
*You have to wear uncomfortable clothes. Once, I had to stand all day in the most uncomfortable shoes imaginable, and I could not sit down because I would have spoiled the dress.
*There are sometimes creepy relatives or friends whom you have to hide from.
*You have to deal with social pressure to a) go with someone, b) get married yourself, or c) demonstrate to others that you are progressing well and moving forward with your life. I try to ignore it, but it is definitely there.
*You sometimes can't talk to the bride for months before the wedding without the conversation turning into, "Between the pink flowers and the yellow ones, what do you think..."
*There are sometimes/often odd family politics going on. This is most obvious at weddings in your own family. Eek.
*They can be physically, emotionally, and otherwise exhausting.
OK, so there are probably more upsides and downsides that I left out, but that is my list so far. When it comes down to it, though, you really can't miss a good friend or close family member's wedding, and that's all there is to it unless it is prohibitively far away (sorry Deepa!) Enough about weddings! I'm getting nauseous.
Well, I can see plenty of sunshine down here in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It's bloody HOT! Of course, it is hot just about everywhere on the east coast right now, so at least we are not lonely in our sweating.
This past weekend was Molly's wedding in Boston. She and James had a Jewish/New Zealand wedding. I realized that I've been going to a lot of Kiwi weddings this year--the one in Cambridge was also half Kiwi. Maybe it is a sign that I should go there!
The wedding had some great unique moments, such as when Molly busted out with "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story during the reception. Great call, Molly! And the Kiwi's did the Haka.
James danced with Molly, which doesn't sound special, but it was because he doesn't like to dance. And the rings were delivered on a rugby ball during the ceremony. There were a lot of Brandeisians there, which was a blast.
The Happy Couple:
Here's the radiant bride:
The glowing groom (in gold):
Some Brandeisians:
Deepa and Govind, another recently married couple:
and Susie Q (my roommate in Berkeley):
These are my Boston girls, Eve, Molly, and Becky, getting take-out:
The past few years have been slammed with weddings. At each of them, I have numerous conversations with other slammed folks about the upsides and downsides of being slammed with weddings. Here's a brief summary, since it is fresh in my mind (Molly, if you read this, it is not about your wedding--it is more general):
Upsides:
*You can travel to far away places, some that you have never seen and others that allow you to visit your old stomping grounds
*You can catch up with old friends
*You can often get a nice meal out of it
*Some families and sets of friends really know how to have fun (others not so much...)
*You get to see what elements of each wedding are keepers, and what elements are complete flops. This is especially useful if you plan to have a wedding of your own someday. Not so much if you won't.
*You get to get all decked out and watch people checking each other out
*There are sometimes relatives or friends who are hot. Hence the cliche of meeting someone at a wedding.
Downsides:
*You have to travel a WHOLE LOT. Planes, trains, autos, buses for hours and hours.
*You end up spending a lot of money (they don't call weddings an industry for nothing)
*You sometimes have to sit through some long, boring speeches
*You sometimes have to sing a very difficult, cheesy song without practicing in front of hundreds of people that you don't know or make a fool out of yourself in some similar way (this was a recent experience)
*You have to wear uncomfortable clothes. Once, I had to stand all day in the most uncomfortable shoes imaginable, and I could not sit down because I would have spoiled the dress.
*There are sometimes creepy relatives or friends whom you have to hide from.
*You have to deal with social pressure to a) go with someone, b) get married yourself, or c) demonstrate to others that you are progressing well and moving forward with your life. I try to ignore it, but it is definitely there.
*You sometimes can't talk to the bride for months before the wedding without the conversation turning into, "Between the pink flowers and the yellow ones, what do you think..."
*There are sometimes/often odd family politics going on. This is most obvious at weddings in your own family. Eek.
*They can be physically, emotionally, and otherwise exhausting.
OK, so there are probably more upsides and downsides that I left out, but that is my list so far. When it comes down to it, though, you really can't miss a good friend or close family member's wedding, and that's all there is to it unless it is prohibitively far away (sorry Deepa!) Enough about weddings! I'm getting nauseous.
16 July, 2006
About a Barn
I've had a few requests to post some photos of the barn that I'm staying in. My dad designed it, and then a building company built it this past winter. It is bigger than our house,
so maybe barn is not the right term.... In any case, the inside is not finished yet (the electrical wiring, insulation, and sheetrock), but it is starting to shape into quite a nice space. It is not easy to sleep when the rain pounds on the roof, but waking up to the birds is quite a treat.
15 July, 2006
Back in (New) Jersey
The weather was stormy when I arrived, but my plane made it in before the worst of it. On the way home I took this photo.
My last few days in London were largely uneventful, sorry to say. The thing is, I just don't find much that is appealing about London. I keep trying to find something that I really enjoy about London, and I come up empty handed--except for all the people that I can visit there. To me, London is like the East Coast in the US, but even more traditional and paternalistic, more white-dominated, more stuck up about social etiquette, and full of more extreme reactions against that (which, to an outsider, feels over the top). But, maybe I am still not giving it enough of a chance to prove its virtues. It isn't that bad.
Here are some photos of Oxford, where I visited Catherine in her lovely new home.
Oxford was great--smaller and less overwhelming than London, but larger and less claustrophobic than Cambridge. It had a Harry Potter feeling to it, actually. Of course, I wasn't going to school at Oxford, so the experience was likely tainted. And, when Catherine and I were wandering through the meadows along the river, we ran into my friend Victor from the Bay Area. Overall the trip to Oxford had a surreal feeling to it because of this random encounter, the indecisive weather, and the large crowds of tourists and lanugage students that had taken over the town.
The day I was there was the day of the World Cup finals, and there were mobs of Italian teenagers chanting in the streets, drawing the attention of tourists and locals alike. I just wish I had been there Sunday night after Italy won the World Cup, because it was probably quite a sight. Instead, I misjudged both the time that the game was to start and the time it would take to get back to London, so I met up with James late. (James is a Brazilian friend from I-House who graciously let me stay at his flat in London) We did manage to catch the last 20 minutes of the game, the overtime, and the penalty kicks. Good thing it was a close match. I also got to see the infamous Zidane head action, so it all worked out in the end.
Before Oxford, I also went out to Colchester to visit Michelle at the University of Essex. It is not as small a town as I thought, and it was interesting to venture around. They have a castle:
They are creative with flowers:
And they have a clock museum:
What else could one ever need or want?
We took the bus out to a tiny little seaside town called Mersea, a name which none of us could pronounce correctly.
This place was a winner. Mmmmm.... steak and kidney pie.
Mersea is supposedly known in England for their tasty seafood. The reason why it is so good is that the water is extremely salty and, hence, so are all the fish and shellfish. We made our way to the Country Shed, which is a little eatery on the shore that is very insistent that it is not a restaurant. That means that you are supposed to take your own drinks and bread, but since we are not locals, we missed this cue. One of Michelle's flatmates was along with us, and he ran out to snatch the last two baguettes at the local store so that we could enjoy them with our seafood. And seafood we did enjoy.
Our instant friend, Sparky, was living a feline life of luxury. His warm demeanor was sustained by the fish scents that permanently waft his way, leaving him in a perpetual state of bliss.
I didn't end up eating too much of the seafood, but I tried it. It is hard for me to eat a lot of meat after being vegetarian most of the time, physically and mentally. But it was worth trying it out to get the full experience.
After the seafood, we walked back to town, and then took the bus back to Colchester. Then I took the train back to London and met up with James.
So, now I'm back, and all that is over, and it is time to start working on my review of Calculus. I also found a reimbursement check from work that I had forgotten about, so my financial situation is much better than I had initially thought. I'm starting to get used to using the US Dollar again, and it is nice not to have to calculate how much the cost of things is really costing you (in Europe it is always more). What is not so nice is getting back into the culture here, particularly in this part of NJ, where people drive around in their massive trucks with bumper stickers that say, "Boycott France." In these parts, they are also obsessed with magnetic ribbons that signify support for various causes, most often, "support the troops." I'm not quite sure what they think they are accomplishing, or to whom they think they are directing their expressions of support (after all, it is just the peanut gallery in these parts). But they are certainly free to express whatever they want. In that spirit, I am tempted to come up with my own little magnets or flags to post around town. Any suggestions?
The storms have stopped, but it is quite hot and humid in NJ. I have to say, though, I love this weather. I know I'm crazy, but I do.
My last few days in London were largely uneventful, sorry to say. The thing is, I just don't find much that is appealing about London. I keep trying to find something that I really enjoy about London, and I come up empty handed--except for all the people that I can visit there. To me, London is like the East Coast in the US, but even more traditional and paternalistic, more white-dominated, more stuck up about social etiquette, and full of more extreme reactions against that (which, to an outsider, feels over the top). But, maybe I am still not giving it enough of a chance to prove its virtues. It isn't that bad.
Here are some photos of Oxford, where I visited Catherine in her lovely new home.
Oxford was great--smaller and less overwhelming than London, but larger and less claustrophobic than Cambridge. It had a Harry Potter feeling to it, actually. Of course, I wasn't going to school at Oxford, so the experience was likely tainted. And, when Catherine and I were wandering through the meadows along the river, we ran into my friend Victor from the Bay Area. Overall the trip to Oxford had a surreal feeling to it because of this random encounter, the indecisive weather, and the large crowds of tourists and lanugage students that had taken over the town.
The day I was there was the day of the World Cup finals, and there were mobs of Italian teenagers chanting in the streets, drawing the attention of tourists and locals alike. I just wish I had been there Sunday night after Italy won the World Cup, because it was probably quite a sight. Instead, I misjudged both the time that the game was to start and the time it would take to get back to London, so I met up with James late. (James is a Brazilian friend from I-House who graciously let me stay at his flat in London) We did manage to catch the last 20 minutes of the game, the overtime, and the penalty kicks. Good thing it was a close match. I also got to see the infamous Zidane head action, so it all worked out in the end.
Before Oxford, I also went out to Colchester to visit Michelle at the University of Essex. It is not as small a town as I thought, and it was interesting to venture around. They have a castle:
They are creative with flowers:
And they have a clock museum:
What else could one ever need or want?We took the bus out to a tiny little seaside town called Mersea, a name which none of us could pronounce correctly.
This place was a winner. Mmmmm.... steak and kidney pie.
Mersea is supposedly known in England for their tasty seafood. The reason why it is so good is that the water is extremely salty and, hence, so are all the fish and shellfish. We made our way to the Country Shed, which is a little eatery on the shore that is very insistent that it is not a restaurant. That means that you are supposed to take your own drinks and bread, but since we are not locals, we missed this cue. One of Michelle's flatmates was along with us, and he ran out to snatch the last two baguettes at the local store so that we could enjoy them with our seafood. And seafood we did enjoy.
Our instant friend, Sparky, was living a feline life of luxury. His warm demeanor was sustained by the fish scents that permanently waft his way, leaving him in a perpetual state of bliss. 
I didn't end up eating too much of the seafood, but I tried it. It is hard for me to eat a lot of meat after being vegetarian most of the time, physically and mentally. But it was worth trying it out to get the full experience.
After the seafood, we walked back to town, and then took the bus back to Colchester. Then I took the train back to London and met up with James.
So, now I'm back, and all that is over, and it is time to start working on my review of Calculus. I also found a reimbursement check from work that I had forgotten about, so my financial situation is much better than I had initially thought. I'm starting to get used to using the US Dollar again, and it is nice not to have to calculate how much the cost of things is really costing you (in Europe it is always more). What is not so nice is getting back into the culture here, particularly in this part of NJ, where people drive around in their massive trucks with bumper stickers that say, "Boycott France." In these parts, they are also obsessed with magnetic ribbons that signify support for various causes, most often, "support the troops." I'm not quite sure what they think they are accomplishing, or to whom they think they are directing their expressions of support (after all, it is just the peanut gallery in these parts). But they are certainly free to express whatever they want. In that spirit, I am tempted to come up with my own little magnets or flags to post around town. Any suggestions?
The storms have stopped, but it is quite hot and humid in NJ. I have to say, though, I love this weather. I know I'm crazy, but I do.
11 July, 2006
Calm Before the Storm
Greetings from the UK again. This is my last day on this side of the Atlantic. I arrived here last Thursday (a while ago by now), and then went up to Oxford to visit Catherine in her lovely new house from Sat-Sun. Then I came back down to London in time to catch the last hour of the World Cup (Italia! Italia!), and yesterday I wandered around Hyde Park and many more London shopping streets than I wanted to. I've been very happily staying with James, Catherine, and Michelle along the way. Today I'm meeting Alexis and Cathy for lunch, and then doing some more wandering. Overall, I'm very ready to head back. Wandering is fun, but there are limits to it. I am ready to be situated in one place for a while, which is good because I will be.
I'll post some photos from the UK once I get home and have consistent email access. Hope you are all well.
Cheers!
01 July, 2006
Iron Rita
My cousin Coosje's commentary on the current situation...
And some more random shots around A'dam...
And some more random shots around A'dam...
30 June, 2006
Flooding back home
These are photos of Phillipsburg and Easton (courtesy of NYT and EastonExpress), just 10 minutes down the hill from my parent's house.
Luckily, we live on top of Jugtown Mountain. It is more of a hill than a mountain, but it works in a flood.
Luckily, we live on top of Jugtown Mountain. It is more of a hill than a mountain, but it works in a flood.
Here in the Netherlands
I have finally caught up with all my photo-posting from Spain, so now I can post a few from Amsterdam, etc. I've been here for over a week now, and have about one week left.
I am staying here on the Herengracht
with my mom's cousin Coosje,
who lives with her mother, Tante Tini,
and her son, Lucas.
We're having a good time here...
Yesterday, I went near the Kröller Müller museum, but not into it. The reason is that it is surrounded by the Hoge Veluwe National Park, which stretches for kilometers in the middle of the Netherlands. I couldn't resist the temptation to spend all my time outdoors.
It is quite flat, which means that it is very suitable for biking. They have 1,700 free "white bikes" that visitors can take all around the park.
There are bike paths, sculpture gardens, hiking trails, and riding trails throughout the park. You get to glide through the vast grasslands, sand dunes, and wide open spaces. The weather was perfectly sunny and warm.
And now I'm back in Amsterdam
I am staying here on the Herengracht
with my mom's cousin Coosje,
who lives with her mother, Tante Tini,
and her son, Lucas.
We're having a good time here...
Yesterday, I went near the Kröller Müller museum, but not into it. The reason is that it is surrounded by the Hoge Veluwe National Park, which stretches for kilometers in the middle of the Netherlands. I couldn't resist the temptation to spend all my time outdoors.
It is quite flat, which means that it is very suitable for biking. They have 1,700 free "white bikes" that visitors can take all around the park.
There are bike paths, sculpture gardens, hiking trails, and riding trails throughout the park. You get to glide through the vast grasslands, sand dunes, and wide open spaces. The weather was perfectly sunny and warm.
And now I'm back in Amsterdam
Volatile Times
I'm in Amsterdam now, where the big news is that the Dutch government has resigned. This shake-up was precipitated by the issue of immigration. It starts with a Somalia-born woman named Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Ms. Hirsi Ali was elected to Parliament in 2003 and became famous when she wrote a controvertial film about the treatment of women in Islam. The director of the film, Theo van Gogh, was murdered by a Muslim extremist in Amsterdam when it was released. Ms. Hirsi Ali resigned from parliament amid a controversy over the fact that she had falsified information on her application for asylum (which had been known already, but it was re-publicized in a documentary). The immigration minister, Rita Verdonk, known as "Iron Rita" for her firm stance against immigration, wanted to take away Ms. Hirsi Ali's Dutch passport. This caused all kinds of reverberations through the government and a general feeling of embarassment on the world stage over how Ms. Hirsi Ali was treated. Ms. Verdonk changed her mind at some point, saying that Ms. Hirsi Ali could stay after all. However, in two days of debates this week, one of the coalition members (D66) withdrew its support for the government over Ms. Verdonk's reaction to the case and the fact that she refused to resign. So now, the government has collapsed, and there may be new elections this fall.
Wouldn't it be great if the U.S. government would resign over scandals like this? By now the Bush administration would be ancient history.
Wouldn't it be great if the U.S. government would resign over scandals like this? By now the Bush administration would be ancient history.
28 June, 2006
Candids from Andalucía
I found some more photogenic moments in Sevilla and Córdoba.
These guys line up like taxicabs outside the cathedral in Sevilla.
It must be nice to take a ride with one of the horses, but then there is the problem of the smell in the streets after the horses pass by.
Just around the corner, there was a plaza that proved fruitful for people watching.
At the river in Sevilla we found some picnicers and local beauties.
On to Córdoba, we found one little girl playing outside the Mezquita,
... and another playing at the café where we were enjoying our a much-needed dose of café con leche.
Then, there were boys who were very inspired by the World Cup,
... and, finally, some women waiting for Godot.
These guys line up like taxicabs outside the cathedral in Sevilla.
It must be nice to take a ride with one of the horses, but then there is the problem of the smell in the streets after the horses pass by.Just around the corner, there was a plaza that proved fruitful for people watching.
At the river in Sevilla we found some picnicers and local beauties.
On to Córdoba, we found one little girl playing outside the Mezquita,
... and another playing at the café where we were enjoying our a much-needed dose of café con leche.
Then, there were boys who were very inspired by the World Cup,
... and, finally, some women waiting for Godot.
Córdoba
After Sevilla, we took a train to Córdoba. Córdoba is much smaller than Sevilla.
In Córdoba, you have the Posada del Potro, an inn mentioned in Don Quixote de La Mancha.
There is also a Roman bridge. It is currently being restored, so it is closed to all forms of traffic right now.
But Córdoba is most famous for housing the Mezquita ("mosque"). We spent several hours in the Mezquita, and it really made the visit to Córdoba worthwhile. The Mezquita took over 2 centuries to complete, and construction began in 784 AD. There were 3 major expansions of the mosque while under Muslim rule, and then construction of a Rennaisance cathedral began in 1523. In the process, they destroyed much of the center part of the mosque and some of the other parts as well.
It was a bit frustrating to me that so much of what was on display was about the use of the Mezquita by the Christians, and there was very little about how it was used by the Muslims who built it originally. It felt as if the Christians were trying to take credit for it, when, in fact, they had destroyed most of the original mosque to build their cathedral and many chapels. But, I suppose this is just another example of a beautiful physical space that has fallen victim to the ongoing disputes between Christians and Muslims. It is just a shame that you only get half of the story when you walk around, and there aren't any diagrams or renderings or its previous incarnations.
Here are the gardens in the courtyard of the Mezquita:
Here are the famous arches:
And more Mezquita photos:
In Córdoba, you have the Posada del Potro, an inn mentioned in Don Quixote de La Mancha.
There is also a Roman bridge. It is currently being restored, so it is closed to all forms of traffic right now.
But Córdoba is most famous for housing the Mezquita ("mosque"). We spent several hours in the Mezquita, and it really made the visit to Córdoba worthwhile. The Mezquita took over 2 centuries to complete, and construction began in 784 AD. There were 3 major expansions of the mosque while under Muslim rule, and then construction of a Rennaisance cathedral began in 1523. In the process, they destroyed much of the center part of the mosque and some of the other parts as well.
It was a bit frustrating to me that so much of what was on display was about the use of the Mezquita by the Christians, and there was very little about how it was used by the Muslims who built it originally. It felt as if the Christians were trying to take credit for it, when, in fact, they had destroyed most of the original mosque to build their cathedral and many chapels. But, I suppose this is just another example of a beautiful physical space that has fallen victim to the ongoing disputes between Christians and Muslims. It is just a shame that you only get half of the story when you walk around, and there aren't any diagrams or renderings or its previous incarnations.
Here are the gardens in the courtyard of the Mezquita:
Here are the famous arches:
And more Mezquita photos:
27 June, 2006
Alcázar de Sevilla
The Alcázar in Sevilla was my favorite place on this trip so far. Originally built as a fort by the Moors, who were the muslims who ruled Al-Andalus (hence the name Andalucía) from 711 to 1492, the Almohad Dynasty built the first palace. Pedro the Cruel then had another palace built on the ruins of the old Alcázar, and that is what most visitors see today. The mudéjar (Islamic style endorsed by Christians) architecture is stunning, reminding me of the temples that I saw in Northern India. The gardens and mosaics are also awe-inspiring.
Patio de las Doncellas
Patio de las Muñecas
Garden of El Estanque
Paolo in the Garden of El Estanque:
Palacio Gótico
Los Baños de Doña María de Padilla
Patio de las Doncellas
Patio de las Muñecas
Garden of El Estanque
Paolo in the Garden of El Estanque:
Palacio Gótico
Los Baños de Doña María de Padilla
On to Sevilla
Sevilla is one of those open-air museum type cities, where the tourist area is so impeccably decorated that it feels a bit contrived. That said, there is a reason why so many tourists come to appreciate the beautiful windows, plazas, and architecture. Turn every corner, and you have another beautiful view in front of you.
The gothic cathedral towers above the downtown area, which it should because it is the tallest gothic cathedral in the world. You can go up the towers and get views of the entire city from every angle. It is very gorgeous.
Of course, Andalucía is especially famous for two things: Bull fighting and flamenco. Paolo saw a bull fight because he had never seen it before, but I skipped it because I have seen it in Costa Rica, and I find the whole thing quite objectionable. The stadium is quite beautiful, though.
Here are some of Paolo's photos:
There are also areas away from the tourist center that are much more down to earth. In fact, Paolo and I stumbled upon the "cool" neighborhood almost by accident one evening. We searched for at least half an hour for a restaurant that was listed in my Lonely Planet, Habanita. It is a Cuban place with many vegetarian options. We eventually did find it, and, as it turned out, it was the best meal we had in Spain (and the best mojito for me!). In typical Spanish style, we arrived just before the dinner rush at around 11 pm (for once, we were on Spanish time). We landed the last table on the outdoor patio, and then enjoyed some delicious tapas with plantains, beans, rice, salad, and goat cheese with jam (yum!).
After the delicious meal, we set out to find some flamenco. We took many windy streets to another spot listed in the guidebook, where there happened to be a local flamenco group performing (for free!). We got there just in time to enjoy about 6 or 7 songs before they ended the set. At one point, they invited the audience members to dance. Sure enough, a couple got up there and danced to two or three songs. It was great to stumble upon such a spontaneous and authentic show.
After the show, we made our way back to our hotel, via the same street that the restaurant, Habanita, was on. By that time, it was about 1 am. To our surprise, the tranquil street where we had just dined a few hours ago was now completely full of teenagers, flowing out of all the bars and into the street. It was definitely THE place for local youth to hang out on a pleasant summer evening. Sometimes you could even hear some spontaneous clapping and singing, similar to the flamenco music we had just left behind. We could also see the tower of the Cathedrals around town glowing in the night. All in all, it was a relief to see that Sevilla is not just a tourist trap, but also a living and breathing city.
The gothic cathedral towers above the downtown area, which it should because it is the tallest gothic cathedral in the world. You can go up the towers and get views of the entire city from every angle. It is very gorgeous.
Of course, Andalucía is especially famous for two things: Bull fighting and flamenco. Paolo saw a bull fight because he had never seen it before, but I skipped it because I have seen it in Costa Rica, and I find the whole thing quite objectionable. The stadium is quite beautiful, though.
Here are some of Paolo's photos:
There are also areas away from the tourist center that are much more down to earth. In fact, Paolo and I stumbled upon the "cool" neighborhood almost by accident one evening. We searched for at least half an hour for a restaurant that was listed in my Lonely Planet, Habanita. It is a Cuban place with many vegetarian options. We eventually did find it, and, as it turned out, it was the best meal we had in Spain (and the best mojito for me!). In typical Spanish style, we arrived just before the dinner rush at around 11 pm (for once, we were on Spanish time). We landed the last table on the outdoor patio, and then enjoyed some delicious tapas with plantains, beans, rice, salad, and goat cheese with jam (yum!).
After the delicious meal, we set out to find some flamenco. We took many windy streets to another spot listed in the guidebook, where there happened to be a local flamenco group performing (for free!). We got there just in time to enjoy about 6 or 7 songs before they ended the set. At one point, they invited the audience members to dance. Sure enough, a couple got up there and danced to two or three songs. It was great to stumble upon such a spontaneous and authentic show.
After the show, we made our way back to our hotel, via the same street that the restaurant, Habanita, was on. By that time, it was about 1 am. To our surprise, the tranquil street where we had just dined a few hours ago was now completely full of teenagers, flowing out of all the bars and into the street. It was definitely THE place for local youth to hang out on a pleasant summer evening. Sometimes you could even hear some spontaneous clapping and singing, similar to the flamenco music we had just left behind. We could also see the tower of the Cathedrals around town glowing in the night. All in all, it was a relief to see that Sevilla is not just a tourist trap, but also a living and breathing city.
26 June, 2006
Last Barcelona Post
Okay, so I have gotten slightly obsessive about Barcelona, but this will be the last post on the topic. And for this occasion, some commentary. But first, I'd like to point you to Chantelle's Blog, where she, too, has some great photos and stories from this great city (in case you are hungry for more).
Chantelle, Ben, and I departed Frankfurt thinking that we were leaving the World Cup frenzy behind us. In fact, we were a little disappointed that we couldn't see the opening ceremonies in Mainz that night, because it looked as if they were preparing for a very grand event. However, as it turned out, the frenzy followed us the whole way to Barcelona. Here are the Germans who entertained us (but not the flight attendants) on our flight to Barcelona.
Who knows why they were flying AWAY from the ceremonies, but that is one of many mysteries that shall remain unsolved. And once we arrived, we could find World Cup watching sites all over town. So, we did not miss out nearly as much as we thought we would.
One day, after we had made ourselves a tasty, if hodge-podge, meal of soup-noodle spagetti with tuna paté, tomato sauce, havarti cheese, and olives in the pensión, we ventured out toward the beach. As we began to walk, we heard loud drumming. Curious, we followed the sound through the winding streets of the old city. When we caught up with the drums, it seemed that it was some sort of parade of people dressed like devils who were setting off fireworks. We still do not know what exactly this was for--yet another unsolved mystery. Yet, we followed it for a while, until we couldn't bear ingesting the smoke any longer.
Grácia is the neighborhood of Barcelona that I would choose to live in, that is, if the choice is ever mine. It is very small-scale, with many vibrant plazas scattered throughout. The restaurants are not tourist traps, and the stores are arty and practical. One of my favorite characteristics of Grácia is that there is a pervasive undertone of revolutionary flair in the atmosphere.
This neighborhood has a bohemian, hipster, subaltern feel to it, and a strong identity as an enclave isolated from downtown. Actually, it was its own town (separate from Barcelona) until the late 19th century. The people are a more relaxed there than they are in L'exiample, for example, which is the up-scale, ultra-modern neighborhood north of the Barri Gotic where all the designer shops are. All-in-all, it is definitely a place worth spending some time. Maybe next time I am in Barcelona, I will stay there. For good.
Chantelle, Ben, and I departed Frankfurt thinking that we were leaving the World Cup frenzy behind us. In fact, we were a little disappointed that we couldn't see the opening ceremonies in Mainz that night, because it looked as if they were preparing for a very grand event. However, as it turned out, the frenzy followed us the whole way to Barcelona. Here are the Germans who entertained us (but not the flight attendants) on our flight to Barcelona.
Who knows why they were flying AWAY from the ceremonies, but that is one of many mysteries that shall remain unsolved. And once we arrived, we could find World Cup watching sites all over town. So, we did not miss out nearly as much as we thought we would.~0~
One day, after we had made ourselves a tasty, if hodge-podge, meal of soup-noodle spagetti with tuna paté, tomato sauce, havarti cheese, and olives in the pensión, we ventured out toward the beach. As we began to walk, we heard loud drumming. Curious, we followed the sound through the winding streets of the old city. When we caught up with the drums, it seemed that it was some sort of parade of people dressed like devils who were setting off fireworks. We still do not know what exactly this was for--yet another unsolved mystery. Yet, we followed it for a while, until we couldn't bear ingesting the smoke any longer.
~0~
Grácia is the neighborhood of Barcelona that I would choose to live in, that is, if the choice is ever mine. It is very small-scale, with many vibrant plazas scattered throughout. The restaurants are not tourist traps, and the stores are arty and practical. One of my favorite characteristics of Grácia is that there is a pervasive undertone of revolutionary flair in the atmosphere.
This neighborhood has a bohemian, hipster, subaltern feel to it, and a strong identity as an enclave isolated from downtown. Actually, it was its own town (separate from Barcelona) until the late 19th century. The people are a more relaxed there than they are in L'exiample, for example, which is the up-scale, ultra-modern neighborhood north of the Barri Gotic where all the designer shops are. All-in-all, it is definitely a place worth spending some time. Maybe next time I am in Barcelona, I will stay there. For good.
Too Good for the Guidebook
On our last day in Barcelona, Paolo and I tried to go up to Tibidabo, the tallest mountain that overlooks the valley where the city lies. To get there, you have to take the metro to another (regional) train system, then get off and take a bus uphill, then get on the funicular that takes you up to Tibidabo. Up there, there is a palace and an amusement park with, ostensibly, the best views in Barcelona. But, alas, we never made it. We got to the funicular station at the precise moment that the conductor announced that he was not taking anymore people up.
In that slightly annoyed tone that some locals take on when confronted by a hoard of tourists, the man said (in Spanish), "I'll take you up, but you'll have to walk 6 km back." It was sufficiently hot to discourage most tourists from going any further. However, for Paolo and I, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
We decided to wander up the dirt path that twisted around the station, past an animal shelter, and up the hill. To our delight, after we weaved our way through the brush for a short while, we encountered an amazing trail that runs flat along the ridge of the mountain, Passeig de les Aigües.
This trail was full of bikers, joggers, and other wandering souls like us who were drawn in by the breathtaking views of the city. It was almost being in Tilden Park--but better!! And oh-so-much warmer! If only we had bikes...
After a prolonged stroll along the ridge, we found a cafe down by the old train station and enjoyed a nice cool drink. The view from there was not half bad either.
We also enjoyed observing the jubliant group of Spanish people next to us, as they kept bursting out with jokes and laughter. After that much-needed break, we took a long walk, past the mansions, downhill, and to the metro. Finding the metro station actually took a lot of hard work and a dose of luck, but we did find it eventually. We took it to Grácia and had another meal of Tapas in a cozy plaza. If only every day could be like that day...
In that slightly annoyed tone that some locals take on when confronted by a hoard of tourists, the man said (in Spanish), "I'll take you up, but you'll have to walk 6 km back." It was sufficiently hot to discourage most tourists from going any further. However, for Paolo and I, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.We decided to wander up the dirt path that twisted around the station, past an animal shelter, and up the hill. To our delight, after we weaved our way through the brush for a short while, we encountered an amazing trail that runs flat along the ridge of the mountain, Passeig de les Aigües.
This trail was full of bikers, joggers, and other wandering souls like us who were drawn in by the breathtaking views of the city. It was almost being in Tilden Park--but better!! And oh-so-much warmer! If only we had bikes...
After a prolonged stroll along the ridge, we found a cafe down by the old train station and enjoyed a nice cool drink. The view from there was not half bad either.
We also enjoyed observing the jubliant group of Spanish people next to us, as they kept bursting out with jokes and laughter. After that much-needed break, we took a long walk, past the mansions, downhill, and to the metro. Finding the metro station actually took a lot of hard work and a dose of luck, but we did find it eventually. We took it to Grácia and had another meal of Tapas in a cozy plaza. If only every day could be like that day...
25 June, 2006
No Trip to Barcelona is Complete
...without Gaudí.
Antoni Gaudí is perhaps Barcelona 's best known figure these days, and for good reason. While I was in Barcelona this time, I shelled out 8 Euros each to go up his Apartments (aka Casa Milà or La Pedrera) and La Sagrada Familia, but it was worth it. Being able to go through the Apartments was more informative than the Sagrada Familia, because they have a huge demonstration in the attic that explains his approach to architecture--his use of light, structural preferences, and ways of modeling his ideas.
The Apartments:
The Sagrada Familia:
This is the project that Gaudí devoted most of his last years to. It will not be completed until the year 2026, so it is still very much a work-in-progress. But you can still walk up the towers and gaze out at various spots to see the progress of the construction. However, aside from the views, the entrance was not as interesting as the Apartments because they didn't have much info available for reading up on his plans for the masterpiece.
Gaudí also has many other building scattered throughout the city.
And, of course, the wonderfully free Parc Güell.
Antoni Gaudí is perhaps Barcelona 's best known figure these days, and for good reason. While I was in Barcelona this time, I shelled out 8 Euros each to go up his Apartments (aka Casa Milà or La Pedrera) and La Sagrada Familia, but it was worth it. Being able to go through the Apartments was more informative than the Sagrada Familia, because they have a huge demonstration in the attic that explains his approach to architecture--his use of light, structural preferences, and ways of modeling his ideas.
The Apartments:
The Sagrada Familia:
This is the project that Gaudí devoted most of his last years to. It will not be completed until the year 2026, so it is still very much a work-in-progress. But you can still walk up the towers and gaze out at various spots to see the progress of the construction. However, aside from the views, the entrance was not as interesting as the Apartments because they didn't have much info available for reading up on his plans for the masterpiece.
Gaudí also has many other building scattered throughout the city.
And, of course, the wonderfully free Parc Güell.
24 June, 2006
Barcelona Candids
Put a camera in my hands, and off I go...
Barcelona harbors and nurtures many talents:
The kids can play amongst Gaudi masterpieces:
The older, more distinguished men in Spain always, but ALWAYS, hold their hands behind their backs when strolling.
These women were listening to Ave Maria. (Was that obvious?)
But you don't want to play cards with this guy, facing the camera in blue:
Nor would you want this lady to be your neighbor:
But this guy is a keeper:
And this is a lucky dog:
Barcelona harbors and nurtures many talents:
The kids can play amongst Gaudi masterpieces:
The older, more distinguished men in Spain always, but ALWAYS, hold their hands behind their backs when strolling.
These women were listening to Ave Maria. (Was that obvious?)
But you don't want to play cards with this guy, facing the camera in blue:
Nor would you want this lady to be your neighbor:
But this guy is a keeper:
And this is a lucky dog:
Tasty Tapas
When in Spain, tapas are the name of the game. One day, Ben, Chantelle, and I treated ourselves to some tasty tapas in the cute, quaint neighborhood of Gracia.
Yum!
From Wikipedia, an entomology of tapas:
Tapa means "cover" in Spanish. There are several explanations for the etymology of "tapa":
Yum!
From Wikipedia, an entomology of tapas:
Tapa means "cover" in Spanish. There are several explanations for the etymology of "tapa":
- A commonly cited explanation is that an item, be it bread or a flat card, etc., would often be placed on top of a drink to protect it from fruit flies; at some point it became a habit to top this "cover" with a snack.
- Some experts believe that the name originated sometime round the 16th century, when tavern owners from Castilla-La Mancha found out that the strong taste and smell of mature cheese can help disguise that of bad wine, thus "covering" it, and started offering free cheese when serving cheap wine.
23 June, 2006
Barcelona in Retrospect
I still have not managed to get my cousin Coosje's computer online, but I have found a suitable internet cafe, and I am going to try to post some photos. First up: Barcelona. What a beautiful city. Ben, Chantelle, and I flew there together from Mainz/Frankfurt on June 9th. It is still my favorite city. Ben, Chantelle and I are all moving there in 5 years (right?). In the meantime, they will learn Spanish, and I will try to learn some Catalan. Yes.
Some photos. First, some shots of the city:
And some street views in the old city, the Barri Gothic.
Some photos. First, some shots of the city:
And some street views in the old city, the Barri Gothic.
Below is the view from our Pension. The Harlem Jazz Cafe is located just around the corner. The downside of the neighborhood was that, in Barcelona, they party until 5am; and at 6am the delivery trucks start. So there is noise 24 hours a day.
And the voluptuous, colorful market, where we got our snacks and lunch eats...
We were very economical about our food--purchasing food from the market or a supermarket, and then cooking at the hostel or having a picnic lunch in the park. Works very well! We also treated ourselves to some very delicious tapas... the subject of the next post. Until then, ciao...
21 June, 2006
sevilla, cordoba, madrid, and now amsterdam
i know i have been remiss. the thing is, an internet connection and functional computer is hard to come by these days. but, i am working on it. there is a hotspot in amsterdam, but i have to figure out how to get a username and password for it (their system is tossing me around a bit). but soon i will post photos and give some more detailed descriptions of my travels. i hope you are all well.
it is raining here in amsterdam, but it is lovely to have a respite from traveling all the time. the apt on the herengracht that my family lives in is very cozy, or gezellig as they say. the pipes don't work so well, but it is survivable. i have been lazying around since i got here. had a wonderful time in spain, and already miss the cafe con leche. but, it is great to be here with the caas broodjes and the coffie verkeert (spelling is all wrong, i am sure). more soon. as soon as i can get connected. cheers, annelies
15 June, 2006
The Rain In Spain Stays Mainly in the Plain
Llegamos a Sevilla. It is cool and pouring down rain here, but hopefully it is only a temporary shower. Paolo and I left Barcelona at 5 am this morning, and arrived around 5pm in Sevilla. First, we flew to Malága, a poorer town on the coast that reminds me of Central America. We had a nice lunch at a café where the specialty was churros con chocolate. We had baguettes for lunch, and then tried some of their chocolate. It was like hot chocolate in the US, but it was much thicker--almost like hot chocolate pudding! It was fantastic.
After that, we caught the bus to Sevilla, a 2.5 hour drive through the rolling hills and plains.
It was gorgeous, but I am sad to say that I was unable to stay awake for the whole trip--I was so very tired.
Still, I managed to catch many glimpses of the sunflower fields, olive orchards, old villages, and mountains. In some areas, it looks a lot like the Bay Area in California, and in others it is much more dry. Right now, as I said, it is raining. I wonder if My Fair Lady was right about it staying in the plains. Hopefully it will leave long enough for us to walk around the city. More coming soon. Ciao, ciao.
After that, we caught the bus to Sevilla, a 2.5 hour drive through the rolling hills and plains.
It was gorgeous, but I am sad to say that I was unable to stay awake for the whole trip--I was so very tired.
Still, I managed to catch many glimpses of the sunflower fields, olive orchards, old villages, and mountains. In some areas, it looks a lot like the Bay Area in California, and in others it is much more dry. Right now, as I said, it is raining. I wonder if My Fair Lady was right about it staying in the plains. Hopefully it will leave long enough for us to walk around the city. More coming soon. Ciao, ciao.
12 June, 2006
Busy in BCN
Chantelle, Ben and I have been walking our hearts out here in Barcelona. We arrived on Friday night at our Pension, which is situated right in the middle of the Barri Gotic, the old part of the city. This portion of the city was, in fact, the part within the city walls that were not torn down until the late 1800s. Actually, a small part of the wall still exists, right around the corner from our Pension. Also around the corner from our Pensión is the Harlem Jazz Club, a well reputed spot for catching some of the best live music in town! The weather is fantastic! Not too hot, not too cold. Our feet are tired, but our spirits are high.
Here are the Top 10 things we did or saw in Barcelona so far:
10. Walked through La Pedrera, the Gaudí apartment building (that was just me), and gawked at all the undulating sculptures and passageways.
9. Wandered around the narrow, windy streets of Barri Gothic and discovered a fantastic breakfast cafe with the best cafe con leche in the city (according to us)
8. Sat in the shade in front of the Palau Nacional, with a view of Plaça Espanya and the city
7. Walked along the beach while Ben went swimming in his boxers.
6. Encountered a random parade of drummers, fireworks, and people dressed like devils
5. Encountered a random parade of naked people on bikes (sort of like Critical Mass in San Francisco, but naked)
4. Strolled through Parc Güell and enjoyed beautiful views of the city from the park that displays some of Gaudí´s most famous work.
3. Explored the ancient ruins that lie beneath the present-day streets in Barri Gotic at the Musee de la Ciutat.
2. Saw live swing music at the Harlem Jazz club with Medya, an I-house friend.
1. Had a fantastic 2 hour tapas lunch in the Plaza del Sol in Grácia and watched young boys have a water balloon fight. It was cheap, too!
More details and photos to come! Ben left at 5 am this morning, and Chantelle and I now have the city to ourselves! Barcelona is the best city in the world (according to me).
Ciao,
Annelies
08 June, 2006
Gooooooooooooooooooooooooool!
World cup frenzy is popping up all over Germany. Here are a few shots from Mainz.
A frivilous post
This photo pretty much describes what I'm doing these days. It is a welcome break from traveling to and fro all the time. The weird thing about staying with friends in another country is that there are times when it feels as though you are back at home, and then you step outside and are jolted by the reality that you're not. That is not to say that I yearn for home, but it is a bit confusing.Today Chantelle and Ben are both working, so I explored the the main cathedral, went to St. Stephens church (where Marc Chagall made the blue stained glass windows), and then took a nap in the sunby the river. Not a bad way to spend a day.
Here are some photos of St. Stephens:
The weather is, for once, absolutely gorgeous. It is sunny and in the low 70s. I think it is because I finally went out and bought another sweatshirt. It is a sporty Mainz tourist sweatshirt, in fact. Actually, we discovered that Barcelona will be colder than Mainz, Germany this week when we're there. However, it is over 90 degrees in Sevilla, so I will have some use for the rest of the clothes in my suitcase.Tonight, Chantelle and Ben are going to take me out for "authentic" German food. First, we'll have to spend some time window shopping from one set menu to the other to find one that is vegetarian (or pescatarian) friendly. I'd get myself into a lot of trouble if I didn't have Chantelle and Ben around to translate.
Tomorrow we leave for Barcelona, or to be more phonetically correct, "Barthelona."
06 June, 2006
A stroll along the Rhein
Chantelle, Ben, and I went on a 6 mile walk yesterday around the Rhein river valley between the towns of Rüdesheim and Assmannshausen. It was beautiful, and the weather was gorgous! This area is wine country, and the towns are also tourist meccas for people from all over Germany and beyond. The best part is that it is accessible by train. We took the train to Rüdesheim from Mainz in under an hour.
From Rüdesheim, we walked on a path through the vineyards for about 4 miles that was parallel to the river. Along the way, we passed two castles--one on our side of the river, and one on the other.
Once we got to Assmannshausen, we explored the town a bit. The small town is quite cute and secluded, with delicately decorated houses and stores. We even saw a sign for live music, which is apparently very common in the region.
From Assmannshausen, we took the cable car up, up, up... through the vineyard and the forrest.
We disembarked at the top of the hill, where you can walk around and feed the deer. Incidentally, the deer like long grass better than the food pellets that most people are enticed to purchase upon the entrance to the deer area.
From there, we walked on again, through the forest, where we saw some more gorgeous views...
A "magic cave"...
and a hotel...
before we made it to this statue:
From there, we took another cable car back down to Rüdesheim. Then we had some ice cream (German ice cream is tasty!), and made our way back home. The trip took the whole day, and it was definitely a full one!
Today, as it may seem clear, I am sitting at Chantelle and Ben's apartment relaxing and updating my blog for most of the day. It is great to kick back and (basically) do nothing for a change. ;-) Chantelle and Ben are at work, so it is the perfect opportunity. In fact, this will probably be my last post for a little while, unless I get bored of my book and start commentating again.
From Rüdesheim, we walked on a path through the vineyards for about 4 miles that was parallel to the river. Along the way, we passed two castles--one on our side of the river, and one on the other.
Once we got to Assmannshausen, we explored the town a bit. The small town is quite cute and secluded, with delicately decorated houses and stores. We even saw a sign for live music, which is apparently very common in the region.
From Assmannshausen, we took the cable car up, up, up... through the vineyard and the forrest.
We disembarked at the top of the hill, where you can walk around and feed the deer. Incidentally, the deer like long grass better than the food pellets that most people are enticed to purchase upon the entrance to the deer area.
From there, we walked on again, through the forest, where we saw some more gorgeous views...
A "magic cave"...
and a hotel...
before we made it to this statue:
From there, we took another cable car back down to Rüdesheim. Then we had some ice cream (German ice cream is tasty!), and made our way back home. The trip took the whole day, and it was definitely a full one!
Today, as it may seem clear, I am sitting at Chantelle and Ben's apartment relaxing and updating my blog for most of the day. It is great to kick back and (basically) do nothing for a change. ;-) Chantelle and Ben are at work, so it is the perfect opportunity. In fact, this will probably be my last post for a little while, unless I get bored of my book and start commentating again.
Mainz, markets, and futbol!
Mainz is a city of 188,000 people that is situated very close to Frankfurt, Germany. It is one of the many little towns adjacent to the Rhine, or Rhein in German, which is a beautiful river valley that has been populated since Roman times. In fact, Mainz was a Roman camp in 13 B.C. So, there is quite along history here. The Roman ruins lie beneath the present-day city, and every time they build something, they usually encounter more ruins. For example, when they built the shopping mall near the train station in the early 80s, they uncovered ruins. Now there is a little section of the mall where you can go downstairs and see them--a small diversion for any good shopping experience. Much of the town was bombed by the allied forces during WWII, but they have rebuilt some buildings in the old style that is typical in this region. The main Cathedral, originally built in 975, did not get destroyed in the war, although it has been rebuilt several times due to one major fire in 1009 and seven other serious fires. However, it has been very well maintained and still stands tall. Here are some shots of the cathedral, downtown Mainz, and the Tuesday farmer's market:
The World Cup starts in Germany starting this Friday, so there is a bit of a futbol frenzy going on everywhere. On the train from Paris, about 20 young, jocky men came on board my coach and proceeded to pass around a giant crate of beer. The coach turned into one big party, much to the chagrin of most of the other passengers. At my stopover in Mannheim, I went to a cafe, and another group of 20 men, these ones Brittish, were sitting at a large table. After I arrived in Mainz, we encountered a third group of 20 men near the train station. And so they are descending into German towns like swarms of drunk bees. It is bound to get even more intense as the week goes on.
It has been lovely to stay with Ben and Chantelle. It is a welcome respite from my footloose travel from one hotel to the next, and a small enough city that I don't feel bad about spending the afternoon reading or going online. It is still quite cold here, however, and I am beginning to seriously regret taking up half my suitcase with short-sleeve shirts and lighter clothes. I'm also getting sick of the one sweatshirt that I brought. But, supposedly, this weather is unseasonably cold--even for Germany.
The World Cup starts in Germany starting this Friday, so there is a bit of a futbol frenzy going on everywhere. On the train from Paris, about 20 young, jocky men came on board my coach and proceeded to pass around a giant crate of beer. The coach turned into one big party, much to the chagrin of most of the other passengers. At my stopover in Mannheim, I went to a cafe, and another group of 20 men, these ones Brittish, were sitting at a large table. After I arrived in Mainz, we encountered a third group of 20 men near the train station. And so they are descending into German towns like swarms of drunk bees. It is bound to get even more intense as the week goes on.It has been lovely to stay with Ben and Chantelle. It is a welcome respite from my footloose travel from one hotel to the next, and a small enough city that I don't feel bad about spending the afternoon reading or going online. It is still quite cold here, however, and I am beginning to seriously regret taking up half my suitcase with short-sleeve shirts and lighter clothes. I'm also getting sick of the one sweatshirt that I brought. But, supposedly, this weather is unseasonably cold--even for Germany.
Au Revoir Paris
I've left Paris now, but I have a few more photos to share. Overall, I did not make a concentrated effort to see the main tourist attractions of Paris, namely the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, but somehow I ended up there anyway. It was quite pleasant to wander past them, and somehow more special when it was unplanned.
On Susie's last day in Paris, we wandered around Le Marais. Le Marais is a neighborhood that seems a bit like Soho in New York--sort of bohemian, but very upscale. There was a great flea market all around the circumference of a park, where the vendors were selling all sorts of vintage furniture and trinkets. Here are some of my photographic finds from that market.
Finally, Susie's friend Peggy treated us to a wonderful French dinner near Montparnasse. This was my salmon dish:
Very delicious! Peggy and I also had some creme brulee after dinner, because one can simply not leave Paris without having some, no?
After Susie left for Cameroon (in West Africa), I had one more day to wander around. I wore myself out a bit, but had time to go back to Luxemburg Gardens, the Jardin des Plantes, the Pantheon, and the University area. Here is a fountain in Luxemburg Gardens:
After that, I went back to my hotel and collapsed for a few hours. I had barely eaten all day, so I was famished, but none of the restaurants opened until 7:30. Somehow, I made it until that time, and I left the hotel to get some food. However, all the restaurants that I had hoped to try were booked solid because it was a Saturday! I wandered more, and eventually I found what I thought would suffice--an Asian restaurant. In the end, it was a major blunder. I ordered a plate of sauteed vegetables and noodles. The vegetables came to 13,50 Euros, and they consisted of sprouts and a handful of mushrooms. The noodles were another 11 Euros. So, my attempt to save money by eating sparingly during the day was entirely negated by my poor choice in dinner. I should have just gotten another panini with cheese! Oh well.
After that humbling experience, I gave up and went to see a movie. I figured I was too tired to do much of anything else. I saw Volver, which is the new Almodovar movie, which was in Spanish with French subtitles. It was a little confusing for me, linguistically, but still enjoyable. Not his best, but good enough.
The next morning I said au revoir to Paris and commenced an 8 hour train journey to Mainz, Germany. I arrived at Ben and Chantelle's doorstep in one piece, although very exhausted. Ben cooked a wonderful home-cooked, German meal. More on Mainz later!
On Susie's last day in Paris, we wandered around Le Marais. Le Marais is a neighborhood that seems a bit like Soho in New York--sort of bohemian, but very upscale. There was a great flea market all around the circumference of a park, where the vendors were selling all sorts of vintage furniture and trinkets. Here are some of my photographic finds from that market.
Finally, Susie's friend Peggy treated us to a wonderful French dinner near Montparnasse. This was my salmon dish:
Very delicious! Peggy and I also had some creme brulee after dinner, because one can simply not leave Paris without having some, no?After Susie left for Cameroon (in West Africa), I had one more day to wander around. I wore myself out a bit, but had time to go back to Luxemburg Gardens, the Jardin des Plantes, the Pantheon, and the University area. Here is a fountain in Luxemburg Gardens:
After that, I went back to my hotel and collapsed for a few hours. I had barely eaten all day, so I was famished, but none of the restaurants opened until 7:30. Somehow, I made it until that time, and I left the hotel to get some food. However, all the restaurants that I had hoped to try were booked solid because it was a Saturday! I wandered more, and eventually I found what I thought would suffice--an Asian restaurant. In the end, it was a major blunder. I ordered a plate of sauteed vegetables and noodles. The vegetables came to 13,50 Euros, and they consisted of sprouts and a handful of mushrooms. The noodles were another 11 Euros. So, my attempt to save money by eating sparingly during the day was entirely negated by my poor choice in dinner. I should have just gotten another panini with cheese! Oh well.After that humbling experience, I gave up and went to see a movie. I figured I was too tired to do much of anything else. I saw Volver, which is the new Almodovar movie, which was in Spanish with French subtitles. It was a little confusing for me, linguistically, but still enjoyable. Not his best, but good enough.
The next morning I said au revoir to Paris and commenced an 8 hour train journey to Mainz, Germany. I arrived at Ben and Chantelle's doorstep in one piece, although very exhausted. Ben cooked a wonderful home-cooked, German meal. More on Mainz later!
02 June, 2006
Social Commentary á la moi
There have been a few interesting moments along the way so far, where something just makes you scratch your head and say hmm.... Here are a few examples. First, Susie and I went dancing last night at a Brazilian place called Favela Chic. Someone that I was dancing with pointed out that all the music in this hip, trendy dance spot was from Detroit. It soon became clear that Detroit was seen as hard core, and thus very fashionable, in France. It strikes me as ironic that in France, where violence and poverty are less extreme than in the U.S., that they would cling to Detroit as a symbol of what is cool--especially in Paris, where Americans are ridiculed and considered inferior in terms of our social safety nets (and our fashion sense). Favela Chic, indeed.
Also in Paris, apparently it is fashionable to graffitti the vans.
In England, there were a few striking images as well. For example, the way they tell you which way to look on the street.
In the U.S., we rather assume that if someone is stupid enough not to look both ways, then they deserve what comes to them. But the Brits are nicer to their pedestrians in that regard. Ironically, though, I found British drivers, especially in London, very hungry to run you over when the opportunity arises. (Someone there said that Parisians are worse, but I have to respectfully disagree!)
Then, also in England (just outside of Brixton), there was the Temple of Truth. This one is self explanatory.
It is quite small, though.
In the same neighborhood, we came along this sign. Also self-explanatory:
And finally, there was the sign in the Cambridge Market Square advertising Ostrich Burgers. That is simply not something you'd ever be able to market in the U.S.! At least not in any mainstream way.
Also in Paris, apparently it is fashionable to graffitti the vans.
In England, there were a few striking images as well. For example, the way they tell you which way to look on the street.
In the U.S., we rather assume that if someone is stupid enough not to look both ways, then they deserve what comes to them. But the Brits are nicer to their pedestrians in that regard. Ironically, though, I found British drivers, especially in London, very hungry to run you over when the opportunity arises. (Someone there said that Parisians are worse, but I have to respectfully disagree!)Then, also in England (just outside of Brixton), there was the Temple of Truth. This one is self explanatory.
It is quite small, though.In the same neighborhood, we came along this sign. Also self-explanatory:
And finally, there was the sign in the Cambridge Market Square advertising Ostrich Burgers. That is simply not something you'd ever be able to market in the U.S.! At least not in any mainstream way.
Dancing in the Streets
Yesterday, I went wandering around the centre city in Paris. To be completely honest, I got lost for a bit, but getting lost in the middle of Paris when you're on vacation is never worrisome or stressful. Anyway, I turned one corner and heard some great accordian music, and saw these marvelous girls dancing to it!
By the way, thanks for the comments from everyone who has left them! I do read them!
Cheers!
By the way, thanks for the comments from everyone who has left them! I do read them!Cheers!
01 June, 2006
Just another rainy day in Paris
It is raining again, and cold. This weather has followed me from New Jersey, to the UK, and now Paris. But, even in the rain, one easily manages to have fun. In a city so accustomed to rain, in fact, there is a lot to do. On my first day, we went to Musee d'Orsay. Today, it was actually sunny for a while, so we went to Sacre Coer.
I walked there this afternoon from our hotel, which took over an hour. On the way, I happened to run into some sort of film star here dressed in Victorian-era clothes. They were shooting a film, and he came around the corner and then ducked into his trailer ahead of me. I didn't realize he was a film star until he went into the trailer, but I did think it was odd for someone to be wearing those clothes on the street. I just kept on walking and meandered my way to the Sacre Coer, where I met Susie at the top. Incidentally, Susie ran into a friend from High School in Ecuador whom she has not seen in over 10 years, so we all went to dinner in Le Montmartre. Then it started raining again...
This is Susie and me in front of the Sacre Coer, with a view of Paris in the background:
Montmartre is still my favorite neighborhood in Paris. It is a bit more touristy than it was when I came the last time, but nothing can beat the winding streets and the views that come along with being on top of a hill. The atmosphere is more calm than the centre city, where we are staying. There are many charming little restaurants tucked into the corners of old buildings.
That said, there is a small neighborhood right around the corner from our hotel that is very non-touristy and wonderful for a cheap cup of coffee and fresh fruit and vegetables.
Here are some more photos from my strolls around Paris just after a rain shower:
I walked there this afternoon from our hotel, which took over an hour. On the way, I happened to run into some sort of film star here dressed in Victorian-era clothes. They were shooting a film, and he came around the corner and then ducked into his trailer ahead of me. I didn't realize he was a film star until he went into the trailer, but I did think it was odd for someone to be wearing those clothes on the street. I just kept on walking and meandered my way to the Sacre Coer, where I met Susie at the top. Incidentally, Susie ran into a friend from High School in Ecuador whom she has not seen in over 10 years, so we all went to dinner in Le Montmartre. Then it started raining again...This is Susie and me in front of the Sacre Coer, with a view of Paris in the background:
Montmartre is still my favorite neighborhood in Paris. It is a bit more touristy than it was when I came the last time, but nothing can beat the winding streets and the views that come along with being on top of a hill. The atmosphere is more calm than the centre city, where we are staying. There are many charming little restaurants tucked into the corners of old buildings.
That said, there is a small neighborhood right around the corner from our hotel that is very non-touristy and wonderful for a cheap cup of coffee and fresh fruit and vegetables.
Here are some more photos from my strolls around Paris just after a rain shower:
I am starting to get used to having French all around me. However, my beginning French class appears not to have made much difference, although I do feel less like a fish out of water now that I know at least the very basics of pronunciation and grammer. The Parisians have been quite nice, as they usually are when you try to speak French and not English first. Most do know enough English to get you what you need. They dress so impeccably well that almost anyone on the street knows that we are not French. They don't necessarily know we are from the US, but they know for sure that we're not French.
I never thought I'd say this, but I am getting a bit tired of baguettes and cheese. I eat them at least once a day because they are cheap, which allows me to avoid going into one of the overpriced restaurants. That said, Susie and I had Indian food last night, and it was such a tremendous treat for me because I was craving a very substantial meal. They did rip Susie off with the rice, though--they charged 3,50 Euro, which is just under $5, for a small plate of rice! A standard cup of tea here is 4 Euros. I hope some of my savings are left by the time I leave!
I've been trying to upload photos to my blog, but have not had much success yet. I just tried using Mozilla instead of Explorer, and Voila! It worked!!! Enjoy!
31 May, 2006
Sneezing in Paris
Bonjour! I made it to Paris. I brought a cold along with me, so it has been a bit difficult to see everything with as much vigor as I had hoped. That should teach me to try to cram in so much sightseeing after a wedding. But, Paris is still beautiful and enchanting. It has been great to catch up with Susie (roommate from Berkeley), and she already knew the city inside and out, so it was an easy adjustment. We're staying in a great hotel called the Hotel Tiquetonne in Le Quartier Les Halles, which is in a trendy part of town near the city centre. It is hard to beat the location! I had to have Tom (Shafter House) roommate to make the reservation because they don't speak English (or don't look too kindly on it, in any case). It has been fun to try out my French from last year, but I have also learned just how bad my French is. Oh well! Today we went to the Musee d'Orsay, and saw some wonderful masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh, Gaugin, Renoir, et al. I'm going to upload some photos, and don't have much time, so I'll write more tomorrow or the next day.
29 May, 2006
Cambridge Tales
It has been a busy few days! Please excuse my absence online--there was just no time or place to get online (in Cambridge, of all places--one'd think it would be well-connected) . Chantelle and Ben had a graceful and enjoyable wedding on Saturday. Everything was held at an old hotel called the Hardwicke Arms, about 20 miles outside of Cambridge. The town was called Arrington, but really it was just a few houses clustered along a road in the middle of flat fields of green. The building was so old that the stairs, roof, and walls curved in a very charming, country way. Unfortunately, it was pouring all day during the ceremony, but it didn't matter much because we were indoors anyway. Here is the happy couple:
And the bridesmaids:
Chantelle in her beautiful vintage wedding dress:
The I-House 2001 crowd:
Catherine and Alexis:
After the ceremony, we had dinner and then a wild night of dancing. Catherine, Alexis, Emily, and I kept trying to get the DJ to play better songs, and it actually worked after a while. The schedule allowed for plenty of time to get to know Chantelle & Ben's friends and family, who came from all over the world. In one room, we had New Zealand, the US, Germany, Norway, Scotland, Austria, and (of course) the UK represented. Still, it was fairly small--about 40 people or so.
The next day, almost the entire wedding crew--many of whom had stayed at the hotel--went into Cambridge to go punting. For those of you who are hearing the word for the first time, punting is almost like taking a gondola ride, with no singing, and the point is to push the boat (or "punt") along with a stick while standing at the back of the punt. It was great fun! The weather was fantastic, and we went along "the Backs," which is literally the back side of all the famous colleges of Cambridge University. The main challenge was to try to push the punt along without crashing into other punts or the stone walls or bridges. Some of us were not so successful--Ben's sister Annie took a plunge! I even tried punting myself, and somehow did not fall in. I also managed to keep the punt fairly straight, but I moved it along at a snails pace. I have several wonderful pictures from that day. This is where we started:
This is Annie's boat before she fell in:
This is me, giving it a go:
And the views from the river:
After the punting, we went to (yet another) pub, and proceeded to gouge ourselves with greasy food. That left most of us feeling utterly exhausted, especially due to the hard partying the night before. Catherine, Alexis, and I broke off of the main group (try traveling around town with 30 people!) and wandered around Cambridge a bit. It felt so much better to walk, and the light was just gorgeous in the afternoon. All the buildings were majestic, and the shopping was fantastic (as it is in most of Western Europe). I enjoy shopping here, even though I loathe it normally.
Now I'm in London with Catherine, who has graciously taken the day to show me around. We just had lunch at a sushi place, which was a fantastic break from pub food (it gets pretty tiring to eat pub food as a vegetarian--all they have are cheese and french fries). Jessica W. gave me a handy list of fun things to do in London, so Catherine and I are looking forward to trying it out! (Thanks, Jessica!) Here are some photos from walking around Londontown. It may not look it, but it was sooooo cold!
I have to run. More later. All the best to you all.
And the bridesmaids:
Chantelle in her beautiful vintage wedding dress:
The I-House 2001 crowd:
Catherine and Alexis:
After the ceremony, we had dinner and then a wild night of dancing. Catherine, Alexis, Emily, and I kept trying to get the DJ to play better songs, and it actually worked after a while. The schedule allowed for plenty of time to get to know Chantelle & Ben's friends and family, who came from all over the world. In one room, we had New Zealand, the US, Germany, Norway, Scotland, Austria, and (of course) the UK represented. Still, it was fairly small--about 40 people or so.
The next day, almost the entire wedding crew--many of whom had stayed at the hotel--went into Cambridge to go punting. For those of you who are hearing the word for the first time, punting is almost like taking a gondola ride, with no singing, and the point is to push the boat (or "punt") along with a stick while standing at the back of the punt. It was great fun! The weather was fantastic, and we went along "the Backs," which is literally the back side of all the famous colleges of Cambridge University. The main challenge was to try to push the punt along without crashing into other punts or the stone walls or bridges. Some of us were not so successful--Ben's sister Annie took a plunge! I even tried punting myself, and somehow did not fall in. I also managed to keep the punt fairly straight, but I moved it along at a snails pace. I have several wonderful pictures from that day. This is where we started:
This is Annie's boat before she fell in:
This is me, giving it a go:
And the views from the river:
After the punting, we went to (yet another) pub, and proceeded to gouge ourselves with greasy food. That left most of us feeling utterly exhausted, especially due to the hard partying the night before. Catherine, Alexis, and I broke off of the main group (try traveling around town with 30 people!) and wandered around Cambridge a bit. It felt so much better to walk, and the light was just gorgeous in the afternoon. All the buildings were majestic, and the shopping was fantastic (as it is in most of Western Europe). I enjoy shopping here, even though I loathe it normally.
Now I'm in London with Catherine, who has graciously taken the day to show me around. We just had lunch at a sushi place, which was a fantastic break from pub food (it gets pretty tiring to eat pub food as a vegetarian--all they have are cheese and french fries). Jessica W. gave me a handy list of fun things to do in London, so Catherine and I are looking forward to trying it out! (Thanks, Jessica!) Here are some photos from walking around Londontown. It may not look it, but it was sooooo cold!
I have to run. More later. All the best to you all.
26 May, 2006
Arrival in the land of the Queen
I arrived safely in the UK. The flight left Newark at 10 pm, and I managed to sleep about 4 hours. My flight got in around 11 am yesterday (Thursday), and I somehow found my way to the Gatwick Express train to Victoria Station in my dazed state. I had a complicated plan to meet up with one of Chantelle's friends, Emily, at a cafe in the station. We'd meet at a specific cafe, which we found by finding a pdf station map on the internet, between 12:20 and 1 pm, and then every :00 and :30 after that. Actually, we didn't even know what each other looked like, but somehow it worked! Then Emily and took the tube back to another friend's house and drove with them to Cambridge--a 1 hour journey.
The countryside here looks eerily like the part of New Jersey that I'm from. Maybe that is why they called it "New" Jeresy to begin with. Incidentally, I looked at a map, and it struck me again how many towns on the east coast have British names--Northampton, Worcester, Dorchester, Cambridge, Braintree, etc. The main difference is that there are more shades of green here, ostensibly due to more frequent precipitation. There are also more sheep.
We arrived at our hotel, Sleeperz, which is right next to the train station in Cambridge. As it turns out, there's not much more you can do in our room than sleep, since the room is about 8 x 6, with a bathroom sqeezed into what would normally be a closet. That is fine, though, because we probably won't be doing much more than sleep there anyway.
After a wonderful shower, I met up with Catherine (!!!) and then we met Helen (!!!) at the station. It was so wonderful to see them! Then, we had some tapas at a nearby pub, which we found by walking in circles around the town. They still smoke in pubs here, which is a bit of an adjustment. Supposedly they will phase it out by 2007, but the practice is still alive and well.
Later on, we met up with Chantelle for her hen night (that's what they call bachelorette parties in these parts). We had a blast! Somehow, I managed to stay up until midnight!!! First, we had tapas, then wandered around in circles again until we found a pub that had a night permit (until recently, pubs in the UK could only stay open until 11pm, but now a few have late night licenses). Then we played a game where Chantelle had to answer questions that Ben had already answered. If she could not guess what his answer was, then she'd have to drink. At first we said she could get 2 wrong, and then drink, but she got so many right that we changed it after a while. The questions were mostly about her or him ( i.e. what is HER greatest fear?). My favorite, which Emily and I came up with in the pub, was "Would you (Ben) rather eat an ant or have a spider in your bed?" He chose the ant, but she guessed the spider.
At about midnight, I hit my limit of how long I could stay awake. I took a cab back to sleeperz, and proceeded to sleep for 11 hours. Emily and I woke at 11:15 am this morning, and we are now strolling about the town in drizzling rain. The weather was wonderful yesterday, so I suppose it is too much to expect it not to rain today! The wedding is tomorrow.
I'll sign off now... hope you're all doing well!
The countryside here looks eerily like the part of New Jersey that I'm from. Maybe that is why they called it "New" Jeresy to begin with. Incidentally, I looked at a map, and it struck me again how many towns on the east coast have British names--Northampton, Worcester, Dorchester, Cambridge, Braintree, etc. The main difference is that there are more shades of green here, ostensibly due to more frequent precipitation. There are also more sheep.
We arrived at our hotel, Sleeperz, which is right next to the train station in Cambridge. As it turns out, there's not much more you can do in our room than sleep, since the room is about 8 x 6, with a bathroom sqeezed into what would normally be a closet. That is fine, though, because we probably won't be doing much more than sleep there anyway.
After a wonderful shower, I met up with Catherine (!!!) and then we met Helen (!!!) at the station. It was so wonderful to see them! Then, we had some tapas at a nearby pub, which we found by walking in circles around the town. They still smoke in pubs here, which is a bit of an adjustment. Supposedly they will phase it out by 2007, but the practice is still alive and well.
Later on, we met up with Chantelle for her hen night (that's what they call bachelorette parties in these parts). We had a blast! Somehow, I managed to stay up until midnight!!! First, we had tapas, then wandered around in circles again until we found a pub that had a night permit (until recently, pubs in the UK could only stay open until 11pm, but now a few have late night licenses). Then we played a game where Chantelle had to answer questions that Ben had already answered. If she could not guess what his answer was, then she'd have to drink. At first we said she could get 2 wrong, and then drink, but she got so many right that we changed it after a while. The questions were mostly about her or him ( i.e. what is HER greatest fear?). My favorite, which Emily and I came up with in the pub, was "Would you (Ben) rather eat an ant or have a spider in your bed?" He chose the ant, but she guessed the spider.
At about midnight, I hit my limit of how long I could stay awake. I took a cab back to sleeperz, and proceeded to sleep for 11 hours. Emily and I woke at 11:15 am this morning, and we are now strolling about the town in drizzling rain. The weather was wonderful yesterday, so I suppose it is too much to expect it not to rain today! The wedding is tomorrow.
I'll sign off now... hope you're all doing well!
24 May, 2006
Itinerary
Hold your breath! Here's my itinerary for Europe:
25-29 May: Wedding in Cambridge, UK
(Arr. London Gatwick 10:00)
29-30 May: London with Catherine and Alexis?
30 May - 4 June: Paris with Susie
(Dep. London (Hthrw) 13:10, Arr. Paris (CDG) 15:25)
4-9 June: Mainz, Germany with Chantelle & Ben
(Train - Dep. Paris Est. 8:52, Arr. Mainz (Hbf) 17:18)
9-15 June: Barcelona, Spain with friends
(Dep. Frankfurt (HHN) 19:35, Arr. Girona 21:25)
15-19 June: Andalucia, Spain with Paolo
(Dep. Barcelona (BCN) 7:55, Arr. Malaga 9:20)
19 June - 6 July: Amsterdam, the Netherlands with family
(Dep. Madrid (MAD) 13:30, Arr. Amsterdam (AMS) 16:00)
6-12 July London, UK with friends
(Dep. Amsterdam (AMS) 13:00, Arr. London Gatwick 13:10)
12 July: Return to Newark, NJ
(Dep. London Gatwick 10:30, Arr. Newark (EWR) 13:25)
Did you make it through? Good thing I'm used to planes. BTW, all this travel was under $1000! Pretty cool.
25-29 May: Wedding in Cambridge, UK
(Arr. London Gatwick 10:00)
29-30 May: London with Catherine and Alexis?
30 May - 4 June: Paris with Susie
(Dep. London (Hthrw) 13:10, Arr. Paris (CDG) 15:25)
4-9 June: Mainz, Germany with Chantelle & Ben
(Train - Dep. Paris Est. 8:52, Arr. Mainz (Hbf) 17:18)
9-15 June: Barcelona, Spain with friends
(Dep. Frankfurt (HHN) 19:35, Arr. Girona 21:25)
15-19 June: Andalucia, Spain with Paolo
(Dep. Barcelona (BCN) 7:55, Arr. Malaga 9:20)
19 June - 6 July: Amsterdam, the Netherlands with family
(Dep. Madrid (MAD) 13:30, Arr. Amsterdam (AMS) 16:00)
6-12 July London, UK with friends
(Dep. Amsterdam (AMS) 13:00, Arr. London Gatwick 13:10)
12 July: Return to Newark, NJ
(Dep. London Gatwick 10:30, Arr. Newark (EWR) 13:25)
Did you make it through? Good thing I'm used to planes. BTW, all this travel was under $1000! Pretty cool.
23 May, 2006
Phenomenal Women, Phenomenally
In the last 9 months of my tenure in California, I began working with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as a volunteer family mentor. I was matched with two delightful and bright young women, Torbertha and Diamond Torbor. They are 16 and 19 years old, and they were resettled here from Liberia almost 2 years ago now. They fled their town in Liberia to the Ivory Coast twice (on foot) due to conflict and violence. They live in East Oakland now, with their mom and three younger children (ages 1, 5, and 13). Their mom works full time at minimum wage to support a family of 5, paying Bay Area rents.
My role was to help them figure out the process of applying to college--not an easy thing if you aren't familiar with how things work in the US. They came here not speaking English at all, after living for years behind a fence in a refugee camp in the Ivory Coast. They have already surpassed most of their classmates in school--both of them are in the top 15 of their class. These young women are fantastic and inspiring.
In the top photo are: Torbertha, me, Diamond, and my roommate Susie. Susie, a gem herself, has been working with them since I left.
22 May, 2006
Jersey Pride
I'm at home in NJ today. I thought I'd share some photos of my parents house in NJ. It is quite pretty here in Hunterdon County, contrary to popular notions of NJ. My dad just built a new barn in the backyard to house his workshop and a loft upstairs, where I now sleep. The barn is bigger than our house.
Yesterday I went kayaking with my dad, my cousin, and his girlfriend in Clinton, the town down the hill. I lived here for 18 years, but never went kayaking here until yesterday. This is the old limestone mill in Clinton. We kayaked above the dam.
And, when I was in Vineland, NJ for a site visit for work, I bought this nifty shirt:
That is as far as I'll go with my Jersey Pride.
Yesterday I went kayaking with my dad, my cousin, and his girlfriend in Clinton, the town down the hill. I lived here for 18 years, but never went kayaking here until yesterday. This is the old limestone mill in Clinton. We kayaked above the dam.
And, when I was in Vineland, NJ for a site visit for work, I bought this nifty shirt:
That is as far as I'll go with my Jersey Pride.