For all of you out there who might still be checking up on my adventures... Hello! I have loads and loads that I want to share with you all. But it's not going to be in this post, sorry.. I have been back from my year abroad and my round the world trip for about 5 weeks. Coming home has been a trip in and of itself! I have to shout out my kudos to Mullen for saying what I'm trying to with more brevity and eloquence on her blog.
As for what I have left to upload and share with you .. if anyone still cares .. I had planned to devote a week or so of posts to each country I visited to give everyone a chance to see what I was up to. But unfortunately when I was in DC around Halloween I somehow lost my camera along with a memory card full of photos from Cambodia, India and Egypt. Then when I finally made it home I discovered that a few of my packages had been opened in transit and some of my things stolen. Because of that, I haven't really been in the mood to get my few remaining pictures and journal entries in order... As silly as it might sound, but I find it puts me in a pretty grumpy mood to try and deal with it all sometimes.
I am doing well though. I am still unsettled, but doing my best not to stress out and enjoy this time of year. Life continues to throw its curveballs my way, and while I may not be hitting them out of the park I'm not striking out either. I don't want to give up and let this last year disappear as a mythical part of my life. Something that I "did" once, but now I am back to life as usual. I want the experiences I had to continue to be life as usual. As unreal as it all feels to me right now, I recognize that I have a lot of opportunity and potential in front of me.. I know I have options and I want to chose well. It gets tempting to put off all the decisions I have to make and find a new place to live or go teach ESL, or even go back to Korea, just because I would have something to be and something to do every day. But I have (and have always had) goals set for myself and I have to face them sometime. I won't say that I have a concrete plan that can't ever change... but I feel I need to hold myself accountable to the standards I've set for myself. It's strange to think that after all I've been through, that coming home could be this challenging.. but it is. It's just going to take time for everything to play out.
But what about the chronicles of my extravagant (but shockingly normal) voyages?! If you want to read about them I'll just ask you to wait!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Same ol' Bums
EDIT: It is now October 27th and I am in Washington DC. This blog, for some reason, never posted .. but I never had the internet to realize that! I will have a massive update once I am back in California next week and I have my computer back! For now, here's what I wrote two weeks ago....
I should have figured that the minute I posted about the Dodgers doing well in the playoffs that they would slump immidiately and go down 3 games in a row to the Phillies in the NLCS. Game four is Tonight (in the states) but even if they win and send the series back to Philly... the franchise has never come back from a 3-1 deficite. But there is still SOME hope! So I will think blue.. until we lose. And then I will BE blue. (bahdum-chh! haha) As they say, there's always next year. And the next. And the next.... For the record, if we get eliminated, I will be rooting for the Phillies. I sort of like the Cinderella story that the Rays have been this season ... but I have always liked the Phillies. They are a good oganization ... at least, as good as any cn be when they elimnate your team. Hmmph.
As far as my world travels go, Rome has been great! I went to the Papal audience today and hung out with Benedict XVI. I wasn't ever lucky enough to be in the presence of John Paul II, and I wish I could have. So seeing and hearing the Pope with my own eyes and ears was an experience I won't EVER forget!! Kirsten, Liz and I had a lot of fun trapsing around the city together, enjoying lots of fabulous food whenever we could afford it. We learned to tell the good Gelattorias from the bad ones. If you check the color of their Pistachio Gelatto, it should be an ochre green. If it is, it's good! If it looks like something our of a Craylo box... then stear clear beacuse they aren't making the good stuff!
Seeing the Pope and visiting St. Peter's Basillica are definitely a favorite memory of mine fom Rome... but they are sort of in a class of their own and it may not be fair to compare the rest of the city with them... PLUS the Vatican is a sovereign state, so it counts as another trip!! Haha .. but the highlights of the week have defintely been the Forum and the Musee Borghesse. The Borghesse Museum and Gallery is one f the most popular in Rome and is housed in this family's provate Villa. Because of this you have to reserve tickets ahead of time for a two hour block during the day. It houses some of Bernini's most famous sculptures and an impressive collection of portraits and other paintings (not all of which are necessarily Religious) on the second floor. My favorite was Bernini's sculpture "The Rape of Persephone" ... google it. Now. ..... There, finished? Impressive, right?! Okay ... even if you didnàt look it up .. it is incredible. It is hard to believe that the sculpture is made of marble and that your eyes aren't actually looking at really still people ... flesh nd bone like you and me. There are others of his famous works there ... including his depiction od David from David and Goliath ... that was a favorite of mine too.
Of course you can't come to Rome without visiting the Spanish Steps, or the many MANY piazzas, or even tossing a coin in the Trevi Fountain; all of which we did and enjoyed! Kirsten and Liz left this morning for Florence and I leave tomorrow to meet Rachel in Paris!! I can't wait to finish off the last leg of this incredible trip and get back to share my stories with you all... IN PERSON!!
Till then .. Ciao.
I should have figured that the minute I posted about the Dodgers doing well in the playoffs that they would slump immidiately and go down 3 games in a row to the Phillies in the NLCS. Game four is Tonight (in the states) but even if they win and send the series back to Philly... the franchise has never come back from a 3-1 deficite. But there is still SOME hope! So I will think blue.. until we lose. And then I will BE blue. (bahdum-chh! haha) As they say, there's always next year. And the next. And the next.... For the record, if we get eliminated, I will be rooting for the Phillies. I sort of like the Cinderella story that the Rays have been this season ... but I have always liked the Phillies. They are a good oganization ... at least, as good as any cn be when they elimnate your team. Hmmph.
As far as my world travels go, Rome has been great! I went to the Papal audience today and hung out with Benedict XVI. I wasn't ever lucky enough to be in the presence of John Paul II, and I wish I could have. So seeing and hearing the Pope with my own eyes and ears was an experience I won't EVER forget!! Kirsten, Liz and I had a lot of fun trapsing around the city together, enjoying lots of fabulous food whenever we could afford it. We learned to tell the good Gelattorias from the bad ones. If you check the color of their Pistachio Gelatto, it should be an ochre green. If it is, it's good! If it looks like something our of a Craylo box... then stear clear beacuse they aren't making the good stuff!
Seeing the Pope and visiting St. Peter's Basillica are definitely a favorite memory of mine fom Rome... but they are sort of in a class of their own and it may not be fair to compare the rest of the city with them... PLUS the Vatican is a sovereign state, so it counts as another trip!! Haha .. but the highlights of the week have defintely been the Forum and the Musee Borghesse. The Borghesse Museum and Gallery is one f the most popular in Rome and is housed in this family's provate Villa. Because of this you have to reserve tickets ahead of time for a two hour block during the day. It houses some of Bernini's most famous sculptures and an impressive collection of portraits and other paintings (not all of which are necessarily Religious) on the second floor. My favorite was Bernini's sculpture "The Rape of Persephone" ... google it. Now. ..... There, finished? Impressive, right?! Okay ... even if you didnàt look it up .. it is incredible. It is hard to believe that the sculpture is made of marble and that your eyes aren't actually looking at really still people ... flesh nd bone like you and me. There are others of his famous works there ... including his depiction od David from David and Goliath ... that was a favorite of mine too.
Of course you can't come to Rome without visiting the Spanish Steps, or the many MANY piazzas, or even tossing a coin in the Trevi Fountain; all of which we did and enjoyed! Kirsten and Liz left this morning for Florence and I leave tomorrow to meet Rachel in Paris!! I can't wait to finish off the last leg of this incredible trip and get back to share my stories with you all... IN PERSON!!
Till then .. Ciao.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
THINK BLUE!!
I may be enjoying life as a globetrotter, but that could never change the fact that deep down I am still (and always will be) a ravenous sportsfan. This leaves me at an ethical crossroads of sorts. My team ... my BOYS ... the Los Angeles Dodgers, play in game one of the National League Championship Series tomorrow. They are enjoying the franchise's first successful appearance in the post season since 1988. And I am not there to see any of it....
Of course .. it's not as if I am exactly on hard times either .. I am ernjoying the trip of a lifetime!
But, I can't help but lament the poor timing. I of course do not have it in me to root AGAINST my team. I think I am certain that I would spontaneously combust were I to root against the Dodgers. It just isn't in my nature... But I can't help but wish that they would have picked ANOTHER season to finally stop choking.
Whatever the case may be ... or whichever country I happen to be in ... I will always Think Blue. And I encourage you to do the same. I will do my best to find SOME American Sports bar in Rome so that I might be able to see even ONE of the games against Philly ... and hope that my boy pull it out in Philly and make it to the fall classic, THE series!!!!! (The World Series that is.) Whether I am there to witness it or not, history is being made and I am loving every second if it!
Of course .. it's not as if I am exactly on hard times either .. I am ernjoying the trip of a lifetime!
But, I can't help but lament the poor timing. I of course do not have it in me to root AGAINST my team. I think I am certain that I would spontaneously combust were I to root against the Dodgers. It just isn't in my nature... But I can't help but wish that they would have picked ANOTHER season to finally stop choking.
Whatever the case may be ... or whichever country I happen to be in ... I will always Think Blue. And I encourage you to do the same. I will do my best to find SOME American Sports bar in Rome so that I might be able to see even ONE of the games against Philly ... and hope that my boy pull it out in Philly and make it to the fall classic, THE series!!!!! (The World Series that is.) Whether I am there to witness it or not, history is being made and I am loving every second if it!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Just another day...
...in the life of a Globetrotter like me.
For the record, I have officially been traveling for over a month!
On Friday I left Cairo with Kirsten and Liz. We flew to Athens and got into the city and to our hostel without much hassle. The next day I spent the morning and early afternoon touring the Acropolis and exploring a few of the surrounding markets before catching my flight to... Rome!
Getting to Legends (our hostel in Rome) was pretty simple as well, and I was glad to finally reach a bed. I crashed as soon as I arrived! That next morning I found the closest church, went to Mass, and spent the day getting lost in Rome. On purpose of course. I walked a lot and saw a lot too ... not sure what I saw of course because I wasn't paying too much attention. haha. After a delicious lunch, I headed back to the airport for my flight to Dubrovnik! I was only supposed to have one layover for about a half hour in Zagreb ... but apparently most flights from Rome to Zagreb have a stopover in Split to go through immigration and to fill up the plane. with other international arrivals to Croatia... so I was startled by the 40 minute detour. The cool thing was that John Paul II flew on the same plane I was on when he visited Zagreb in 2003!! There was a plaque on the plane and everything! So that was awesome... I finally arrived in Dubrovnik and was greeted by the daughter of my host (I am staying at a guesthouse called Villa Elly) and we made the drive from the airport. It was a nice drive, and a clear night! I enjoyed seeing the coast at night and getting to see stars for the first time since I was in the Philippines. It is defnitely fall weather, so after walking the city walls today I will go out and buy a few warmer additions to my wardrobe. The Old City is nice. It is crowded with tourists from cruise shios and souvenirs stores are crammed onto the main street. But escaping into the alleyways for coffee and a sandwich is wonderful... there are a lot of small stores and coffeshops to keep me occupied. I'm off to walk the city walls and then ... we'll see. Mostly I am just enjoying my free time and taking a chance to reflect on the last month of travel!
For the record, I have officially been traveling for over a month!
On Friday I left Cairo with Kirsten and Liz. We flew to Athens and got into the city and to our hostel without much hassle. The next day I spent the morning and early afternoon touring the Acropolis and exploring a few of the surrounding markets before catching my flight to... Rome!
Getting to Legends (our hostel in Rome) was pretty simple as well, and I was glad to finally reach a bed. I crashed as soon as I arrived! That next morning I found the closest church, went to Mass, and spent the day getting lost in Rome. On purpose of course. I walked a lot and saw a lot too ... not sure what I saw of course because I wasn't paying too much attention. haha. After a delicious lunch, I headed back to the airport for my flight to Dubrovnik! I was only supposed to have one layover for about a half hour in Zagreb ... but apparently most flights from Rome to Zagreb have a stopover in Split to go through immigration and to fill up the plane. with other international arrivals to Croatia... so I was startled by the 40 minute detour. The cool thing was that John Paul II flew on the same plane I was on when he visited Zagreb in 2003!! There was a plaque on the plane and everything! So that was awesome... I finally arrived in Dubrovnik and was greeted by the daughter of my host (I am staying at a guesthouse called Villa Elly) and we made the drive from the airport. It was a nice drive, and a clear night! I enjoyed seeing the coast at night and getting to see stars for the first time since I was in the Philippines. It is defnitely fall weather, so after walking the city walls today I will go out and buy a few warmer additions to my wardrobe. The Old City is nice. It is crowded with tourists from cruise shios and souvenirs stores are crammed onto the main street. But escaping into the alleyways for coffee and a sandwich is wonderful... there are a lot of small stores and coffeshops to keep me occupied. I'm off to walk the city walls and then ... we'll see. Mostly I am just enjoying my free time and taking a chance to reflect on the last month of travel!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Haha!! Still in Cairo
Wow .. you can tell that my last post was typed during my last 5 minutes at an internet cafe... haha. Sorry about that.
To clarify... Everyone involved with our trip to Egypt has been a wonderful. It is clear that this country is proud of their history. Our guides have been informative and and enthusiastic at each sight. Of course ... seeing the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramids (aka the Pyramids of Giza) within 3 days of each other is mind blowing in itself. We drove around and saw the pyramids from every possible angle, climbed down into one of the smaller ones (it's much quicker than in the main three, and all of the tombs are the same .. and empty, haha) and admired the sphinx up close. It was a shame how crowded it was near the sphinx, though. People got a bit pushy and no one could get a very good picture of it... Still though -- we got to be right up next to it! And forget all of the legends you've heard.. he lost his nose when an Islamic ruler smashed it years and years and years ago. He did it to show the people that it was just a statue, not any kind of true deity. Our last night before heading to Luxor we took a sunset camel ride around the pyramids ... but not before we ate at the Pizza Hut with a view of the Sphinx and second largest pyramid! ... they love their American fast food here ... and because it was still Ramadan (just ended today) the touristy places were the only ones open for lunch! The camel ride was fun. Just another exotic animal I can cross of my list I guess.
Luxor was much calmer than Cairo. We had a lot of free time there so we took a few strolls up and down the Nile riverside. It was all quite pleasant, except for the constant taxi offers and boater's cat-calls... we just learned to say "La shokran" or no thank you in Arabic. That usually impressed them enough that they left us alone. We got a big kick out of the Mc Donalds that was across the street from Luxor Temple, and then of course went in for ice cream. (It was hot!!!)
We made it back to Cairo without any problems; spent the day at our hotel to take everything in, and then ended the night with a Nile dinner cruise. It turned out to be better suited for travelers a few years our seniors... but we had a nice time anyway. Andrea had to leave for a gnarly early (4:30 am!!) flight home. So we stayed up watching bad movies on Egyptian TV until she got picked up to go to the airport around 1:30.
And then there were three.
We'll miss Andrea ... and we are all a little bit jealous of the comforts of home that she is so close to enjoying!! But we have had today to entirely map out our plans for Europe together, and our feet are getting itchy again and we are all excited to get to Greece!
To clarify... Everyone involved with our trip to Egypt has been a wonderful. It is clear that this country is proud of their history. Our guides have been informative and and enthusiastic at each sight. Of course ... seeing the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramids (aka the Pyramids of Giza) within 3 days of each other is mind blowing in itself. We drove around and saw the pyramids from every possible angle, climbed down into one of the smaller ones (it's much quicker than in the main three, and all of the tombs are the same .. and empty, haha) and admired the sphinx up close. It was a shame how crowded it was near the sphinx, though. People got a bit pushy and no one could get a very good picture of it... Still though -- we got to be right up next to it! And forget all of the legends you've heard.. he lost his nose when an Islamic ruler smashed it years and years and years ago. He did it to show the people that it was just a statue, not any kind of true deity. Our last night before heading to Luxor we took a sunset camel ride around the pyramids ... but not before we ate at the Pizza Hut with a view of the Sphinx and second largest pyramid! ... they love their American fast food here ... and because it was still Ramadan (just ended today) the touristy places were the only ones open for lunch! The camel ride was fun. Just another exotic animal I can cross of my list I guess.
Luxor was much calmer than Cairo. We had a lot of free time there so we took a few strolls up and down the Nile riverside. It was all quite pleasant, except for the constant taxi offers and boater's cat-calls... we just learned to say "La shokran" or no thank you in Arabic. That usually impressed them enough that they left us alone. We got a big kick out of the Mc Donalds that was across the street from Luxor Temple, and then of course went in for ice cream. (It was hot!!!)
We made it back to Cairo without any problems; spent the day at our hotel to take everything in, and then ended the night with a Nile dinner cruise. It turned out to be better suited for travelers a few years our seniors... but we had a nice time anyway. Andrea had to leave for a gnarly early (4:30 am!!) flight home. So we stayed up watching bad movies on Egyptian TV until she got picked up to go to the airport around 1:30.
And then there were three.
We'll miss Andrea ... and we are all a little bit jealous of the comforts of home that she is so close to enjoying!! But we have had today to entirely map out our plans for Europe together, and our feet are getting itchy again and we are all excited to get to Greece!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Greetings from Egypt!!
Hey everyone! I don't know how to say "hello" in Arabic .. so sorry. We have been in Egypt for the past 4 days and have been super busy! I really really love Egypt. :-) After arriving we were whisked away to our hotel (which has a Nile View!!) and left to recoop overnight. The next day we wasted no time and saw Memphis -which houses the largest statue of Ramses II in all of Egypt, Saqqara - which is the olsdest pyramid in existence and the Giza pyramids. You know all in a days traveling, right?
There is so much more to write about. We are in Luxor right now waiting for our train back to Cairo. Our tour group has been wonderful! Props to Memphis tours ;-). And we are all very relaxed and enjoying ourselves.
I will write more as soon as I have a chance!
Love to everyone!!
Erica
There is so much more to write about. We are in Luxor right now waiting for our train back to Cairo. Our tour group has been wonderful! Props to Memphis tours ;-). And we are all very relaxed and enjoying ourselves.
I will write more as soon as I have a chance!
Love to everyone!!
Erica
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Namaste!
We have just arrived back in our hotel in Delhi after our week long stay in India. After our trek from Thailand, we spent a day and a hlaf touring Delhi before heading off to Jaipur and Agra. Delhi is definitely a world away! I told my family in an e-mail, it was definitely the first time I have gone somewhere and felt turned on my head. Everyone eased up a bit as we hit the rode with our driver for the week and drove to Jaipur. We stayed in a beautiful guest house and saw the Amber Fort, The City Palace(where the Maja Raja still lives) and Jantar Mantar (which is a massive observatory/astrology center built in the early 1700s), and The outside of The Wind Palace (a famous honeycombed building in Jaipur - it was built so that the women of the court, who couldn't go outside, could look out on the street and see what was going on). Jaipur is called the "Pink City" because at somepoint the Prince of Engladn told the Maja Raja he liked pink .... so everything was ordered to be painted pink! And it still is ... every building is a rusty pink color in the front!
After two days in Jaipur we drove to Agra. We left early in the morning and stopped off at Fatephur Sikri. Fatephur Sikri is old abandoned palace. In the 1500s Akbar the Great moved the Capital there, but was forced to leave around the time of his death because of water shortages. Because the palace was virtually abandoned, it is remarkably well preserved. After exploring the grounds of this Indian ghost town we visited one of India's national bird sanctuaries. We had a very kind guide wo showed us many birds indigenous to India. We were unlucky and weren't able to see any monkeys, and saw only one antelope, but the gorgeous cranes, owls, egrets and even a bird called the "snake bird" that looks like a reptile when it swims for food. After some lunch we arrived at our hotel in Agra and took a break to rest up for the next day. We woke up early in the morning and went staight to the Taj Mahal. I can't begin to try and sum up the enormity of that experience. So I will just say that it made all of the struggles of getting thius trip organized, dogding scammers in India left and right ... and not to mention the past year ... worth it. It was beautiful. We hung out around the grounds for awhile enjoying the scenery and people watching and relished in thr beauty of the Taj Mahal! It was wonderful.
After that we toured around the Agra Fort, which is the most spectacular of them all, supposedly. It was very confusing, so that impressed us, haha. The building was actually converted to a palace, and then a sort of prison when the Maja Raja's son took over and locked him away. You can go see where he stayed, locked away with a view of the Taj, where his wife was burried. The architecture was stunning and the ornamentation of each of the rooms was impressive - especially considering how old it all is, and how little restorations have been done. We were pretty wiped after all that, so we took it easy and ate a quick lunch near our hotel, and bummed around a local mall until dinner at one of the many cheap rooftop restaurants wiwth a Taj view. The entire day felt like a fairy tale!
This morning we got up early again, and stopped off at Sikandra (Akbar's Tomb) to enjoy the natural gardens and to get our last taste of Indian architecture before coming back to Delhi. Tomorrow morning we leave for the airport at THREE AM!!! Our flight to Cairo leaves at 7:30, and they recommend arriving three hours early in India. So that's that, and we'll get to the airport by 4.
A note to all who have been keeping up, India is sorely lacking in the post card department, so I doubt if I will be able to snag any at the airport. I am so sorry! But know I have been thinking of you all this whole time and wish you could be here to enjoy this with me!!!
Much love!
After two days in Jaipur we drove to Agra. We left early in the morning and stopped off at Fatephur Sikri. Fatephur Sikri is old abandoned palace. In the 1500s Akbar the Great moved the Capital there, but was forced to leave around the time of his death because of water shortages. Because the palace was virtually abandoned, it is remarkably well preserved. After exploring the grounds of this Indian ghost town we visited one of India's national bird sanctuaries. We had a very kind guide wo showed us many birds indigenous to India. We were unlucky and weren't able to see any monkeys, and saw only one antelope, but the gorgeous cranes, owls, egrets and even a bird called the "snake bird" that looks like a reptile when it swims for food. After some lunch we arrived at our hotel in Agra and took a break to rest up for the next day. We woke up early in the morning and went staight to the Taj Mahal. I can't begin to try and sum up the enormity of that experience. So I will just say that it made all of the struggles of getting thius trip organized, dogding scammers in India left and right ... and not to mention the past year ... worth it. It was beautiful. We hung out around the grounds for awhile enjoying the scenery and people watching and relished in thr beauty of the Taj Mahal! It was wonderful.
After that we toured around the Agra Fort, which is the most spectacular of them all, supposedly. It was very confusing, so that impressed us, haha. The building was actually converted to a palace, and then a sort of prison when the Maja Raja's son took over and locked him away. You can go see where he stayed, locked away with a view of the Taj, where his wife was burried. The architecture was stunning and the ornamentation of each of the rooms was impressive - especially considering how old it all is, and how little restorations have been done. We were pretty wiped after all that, so we took it easy and ate a quick lunch near our hotel, and bummed around a local mall until dinner at one of the many cheap rooftop restaurants wiwth a Taj view. The entire day felt like a fairy tale!
This morning we got up early again, and stopped off at Sikandra (Akbar's Tomb) to enjoy the natural gardens and to get our last taste of Indian architecture before coming back to Delhi. Tomorrow morning we leave for the airport at THREE AM!!! Our flight to Cairo leaves at 7:30, and they recommend arriving three hours early in India. So that's that, and we'll get to the airport by 4.
A note to all who have been keeping up, India is sorely lacking in the post card department, so I doubt if I will be able to snag any at the airport. I am so sorry! But know I have been thinking of you all this whole time and wish you could be here to enjoy this with me!!!
Much love!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Japan, Thailand and Cambodia - Oh My!
Well I have been quite the globe trotter (as my brother would say) the past few days. Right now I am at our hostel in Siem Reap. Andrea and I left Tokyo on Thursday, had an overnight layover in Thailand (from our original trip, before we were forced to cut out our island adventure to Ko Phangan) and left for Cambodia the next day.
The rest of our stay in Tokyo was incredible. We took in a lot of the major sights, and revelled in the lush shopping! It is truly an international city and Andrea and I enjoyed finding some of our favorite things from home iterspersed with the Japanese items. Tokyo also seems to host a pastiche of world monuments... their tower is modeled identically after the Eiffel Tower (but is painted red and white), their most famous bridge is called the "Rainbow Bridge" and is a grey version of the Golden Gate in San Fransisco. But strangest, would have to be the miniature Statue of LIberty that they house on a small man-made island in Tokyo Bay calle Odaiba. The story goes (as we heard it from other tourists) that a few yeas ago the French sent their original on a tour of major World cities, and Tokyo liked it so much that they asked for one of their own. I have to say it was pretty surreal to see Lady Liberty holding her torch high above the Tokyo skyline - but hey, that's just me. haha.
We stayed in Ginza - the shopping district, haha - kind of the 5th avenue of Tokyo - and were next to two great subway stios, so we didn't have much trouble getting around. The Kabuki-Za, which is the most famous kabuki theater in Japan, was right around the corner from us! So we visited it often, and took in two kabuki performances. It still blows my mind that I saw it all first hand! The cool thing about both kauki actors and noh actors in Japan is that it is sort of a family business. All of the actors come from acting families, and the art is passed on from father to son (of course, in traditional Japanese drama there are no women on stage... but there are plenty of women acting in contemporary, western style plays). It is not rare for a young Japanese boy to debut on stage with his father while he is still a toddler! Kabuki dramas developed after Noh dramas and were intended for a more of the common audience than Noh, which were meant for the elie classes. Kabuki dramas typically involve themes of the average man while Noh dramas address eternal themes, such as spirtuality and the afterlife. Even today, Kabuki and Noh actors are regarded with high esteem and celebrity, and according to the information at the Kabuki-Za, are treated similar to the way Hollywood TV actors are treated by the Japanese public.
This past Thursday we flew to Bangkok and met Kirsten and Liz. It was so great to finally meet up with them! We left the next morning for our seperate treks to Cambodia. They swugn flights direct to Siem Reap (which I reccommend doing!!!) while Mullen and I flew to Phnom Penh and then hired a car to drive us. The car should normally cost about 50 US dollars and the drive can take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours. The rode was smooth and I imagine had the sun not set so early it would have been nice scenery. So if you have the time it isn't your worst option, I would have just preferred the conveince of getting here -- for future reference.
Siem Reap is incredible. Cambodia is definitely one of my favorite places to have travelled. In general the people have been very kind. We are staying at the Siem Reap Hostel. It is a fabulous place to stay on a budget. Aside from the dorm-style rooms, you would think this place was a 4 star hotel. They cater to backpackers and laid back travelers, so they do a lot to make the place comfortable. They show movies, offer game-boards, have a swimming pool and a stocked kitchen... PLUS they have free internet! A Major Plus :-) Not to mention they are affiliated with a great group of Tuk-Tuk Drivers who have carted us around Angkor Wat the past two days. There is a variety of restaurants within walking distance and it is a short ride to the ruins.... so all in all ... it's perfect! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone coming to Cambodia. As they say in their advertisements, it is a five sandal resort ;-)
I am off to take a swim and wash of the dust and grime from our day .. then it is out for Mexican food for dinner!! Cambodia, sa rang hae yo!!!
The rest of our stay in Tokyo was incredible. We took in a lot of the major sights, and revelled in the lush shopping! It is truly an international city and Andrea and I enjoyed finding some of our favorite things from home iterspersed with the Japanese items. Tokyo also seems to host a pastiche of world monuments... their tower is modeled identically after the Eiffel Tower (but is painted red and white), their most famous bridge is called the "Rainbow Bridge" and is a grey version of the Golden Gate in San Fransisco. But strangest, would have to be the miniature Statue of LIberty that they house on a small man-made island in Tokyo Bay calle Odaiba. The story goes (as we heard it from other tourists) that a few yeas ago the French sent their original on a tour of major World cities, and Tokyo liked it so much that they asked for one of their own. I have to say it was pretty surreal to see Lady Liberty holding her torch high above the Tokyo skyline - but hey, that's just me. haha.
We stayed in Ginza - the shopping district, haha - kind of the 5th avenue of Tokyo - and were next to two great subway stios, so we didn't have much trouble getting around. The Kabuki-Za, which is the most famous kabuki theater in Japan, was right around the corner from us! So we visited it often, and took in two kabuki performances. It still blows my mind that I saw it all first hand! The cool thing about both kauki actors and noh actors in Japan is that it is sort of a family business. All of the actors come from acting families, and the art is passed on from father to son (of course, in traditional Japanese drama there are no women on stage... but there are plenty of women acting in contemporary, western style plays). It is not rare for a young Japanese boy to debut on stage with his father while he is still a toddler! Kabuki dramas developed after Noh dramas and were intended for a more of the common audience than Noh, which were meant for the elie classes. Kabuki dramas typically involve themes of the average man while Noh dramas address eternal themes, such as spirtuality and the afterlife. Even today, Kabuki and Noh actors are regarded with high esteem and celebrity, and according to the information at the Kabuki-Za, are treated similar to the way Hollywood TV actors are treated by the Japanese public.
This past Thursday we flew to Bangkok and met Kirsten and Liz. It was so great to finally meet up with them! We left the next morning for our seperate treks to Cambodia. They swugn flights direct to Siem Reap (which I reccommend doing!!!) while Mullen and I flew to Phnom Penh and then hired a car to drive us. The car should normally cost about 50 US dollars and the drive can take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours. The rode was smooth and I imagine had the sun not set so early it would have been nice scenery. So if you have the time it isn't your worst option, I would have just preferred the conveince of getting here -- for future reference.
Siem Reap is incredible. Cambodia is definitely one of my favorite places to have travelled. In general the people have been very kind. We are staying at the Siem Reap Hostel. It is a fabulous place to stay on a budget. Aside from the dorm-style rooms, you would think this place was a 4 star hotel. They cater to backpackers and laid back travelers, so they do a lot to make the place comfortable. They show movies, offer game-boards, have a swimming pool and a stocked kitchen... PLUS they have free internet! A Major Plus :-) Not to mention they are affiliated with a great group of Tuk-Tuk Drivers who have carted us around Angkor Wat the past two days. There is a variety of restaurants within walking distance and it is a short ride to the ruins.... so all in all ... it's perfect! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone coming to Cambodia. As they say in their advertisements, it is a five sandal resort ;-)
I am off to take a swim and wash of the dust and grime from our day .. then it is out for Mexican food for dinner!! Cambodia, sa rang hae yo!!!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Happy Birthday to Me! ... Still in Tokyo
Andrea and I have been in Tokyo for a week now and are both sufficiently in love with this city! Everything is organized and clean and well-presented... and mostly just overall welcoming! Tokyo, well done. We have been very busy, but I have to fill you in on how I spent my birthday last Thursday. I really doubt if there is any better way to turn 23... for me at least.
I of course spent the day at Tokyo Disney. Being a Southern California Native I have a super soft spot for anything Disney or Disneyland related, and going to Tokyo Disney was the closest to home I was going to get! The entire day felt like a dream for ... well, a ton of reasons. But mainly because evrything about the place was just so familiar! My mind had a hard time accepting it was actually in TOKYO and not ANAHEIM. Andrea was very patient with me as I would pause and just let my jaw hang open in complete disbelief that I was where I was. My first prority after entering the park was to pick up my mouse ears - of course! Tokyo Disney is celebrating their 25th Anniversary, so I chose a pair of special anniversary ears. Japanese Disney-goers seem more interested in odd sorts of hair accessories than they do traditonal mouse ears and ball caps, so they were the best ones. We rode all my favorite rides, and Andrea was, again, extraordinarily patient as I schooled her on the entire history of each attraction. (Or at least its counterpart in Anaheim) We took lots of pictures (that I will post here as soon as I find a good way to upload them) and ate lunch at Tomorrowland Terrace. Sadly ... The Haunted Mansion and Star Tours were both closed for rennovations and there wasn't time for the Jungle Cruise or Space Mountain because we had a dinner reservation at 6 pm.
My parents are amazing and for my birthday I got to eat at Club 33. It was incredible! In Anaheim, Club 33 is located in New Orleans Square, above Pirates of the Caribbean and Blue Bayou, but in Tokyo is in the World Bazzar (which is the same as Main Street, USA at home). We had were seated near the window and could see Cinderella's Castle from our table. (Yes, they have Cinderella's Castle, not Sleeping Beauty's like at home.) The staff were all very kind and were doing their best to speak English. We were surprised, because we assumed a place as nice as Club 33 would have an English speaking staff, because so many other places in the park did. After our first course, the head waiter told me that my "Birthday Ceremony" was ready, and asked Andrea and me to follow him. We went into a side lounge and sat down. Not gonna lie - it was a little creepy - even though I knew what was coming next. The whole wait staff came in and greeted me in Japanese. They took some pictures of Andrea and me and gave me a huge schpeal ... which was in Japanese too .. so I have no clue what they said. Then they sang and I blew out the candles on my small but sweet Birthday Cake. Then of course, the guest of honor arrived: Mickey Mouse! I felt pretty silly considering it was my TWENTY-third and not my THIRD birthday, but it was still fun. The Japansese teenager that was likely playing Mickey popped his (her?) head into the room in perfect Mickey fashion and we posed for a whole slew of pictures ... and then blew my birthday candles out again. Then Mickey had to leave so that he could get to the parade.. haha .. and we went back to our table. While we were gone, they folded our napkins to look like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and put a rose on my plate. We enjoyed a DELICIOUS meal and were just waiting for them to kick us out when all of the sudden the lights dimmed, they pulled back the curtains, and I saw the Blue Fairy wheeling straight towards me! For those of you who are not Disney-Literate; the Electrical Light Parade began and went directly beneath our window. We could hear the music and watch the parade with the castle in the background! It was so perfect. They let us stay to watch the fireworks too, and gave us some souvenir Club 33 sticker books (well, match books that had stickers inside) that had our names and the date on them. Not to mention the souvenir photos with Mickey Mouse - those were great too! haha.
We left, rode Peter Pan, the Tea Cups and It's A Small World ... and then had to leave to go home (always the saddest part of any Disney day)
It was the most relaxing and happy birthday I think I have had .. in recent memory anyway! And what a wonderful way to kick-start my trip! I of course was thinking of all of you - and wishing you could have been there too. We've been keeping quite busy in Tokyo, and I will update soon if I can. We leave on Thursday to make our trek into Cambodia, and I am sure this is the last reliable internet connection I'll have for a while... so pleae be patient and check back often!
I of course spent the day at Tokyo Disney. Being a Southern California Native I have a super soft spot for anything Disney or Disneyland related, and going to Tokyo Disney was the closest to home I was going to get! The entire day felt like a dream for ... well, a ton of reasons. But mainly because evrything about the place was just so familiar! My mind had a hard time accepting it was actually in TOKYO and not ANAHEIM. Andrea was very patient with me as I would pause and just let my jaw hang open in complete disbelief that I was where I was. My first prority after entering the park was to pick up my mouse ears - of course! Tokyo Disney is celebrating their 25th Anniversary, so I chose a pair of special anniversary ears. Japanese Disney-goers seem more interested in odd sorts of hair accessories than they do traditonal mouse ears and ball caps, so they were the best ones. We rode all my favorite rides, and Andrea was, again, extraordinarily patient as I schooled her on the entire history of each attraction. (Or at least its counterpart in Anaheim) We took lots of pictures (that I will post here as soon as I find a good way to upload them) and ate lunch at Tomorrowland Terrace. Sadly ... The Haunted Mansion and Star Tours were both closed for rennovations and there wasn't time for the Jungle Cruise or Space Mountain because we had a dinner reservation at 6 pm.
My parents are amazing and for my birthday I got to eat at Club 33. It was incredible! In Anaheim, Club 33 is located in New Orleans Square, above Pirates of the Caribbean and Blue Bayou, but in Tokyo is in the World Bazzar (which is the same as Main Street, USA at home). We had were seated near the window and could see Cinderella's Castle from our table. (Yes, they have Cinderella's Castle, not Sleeping Beauty's like at home.) The staff were all very kind and were doing their best to speak English. We were surprised, because we assumed a place as nice as Club 33 would have an English speaking staff, because so many other places in the park did. After our first course, the head waiter told me that my "Birthday Ceremony" was ready, and asked Andrea and me to follow him. We went into a side lounge and sat down. Not gonna lie - it was a little creepy - even though I knew what was coming next. The whole wait staff came in and greeted me in Japanese. They took some pictures of Andrea and me and gave me a huge schpeal ... which was in Japanese too .. so I have no clue what they said. Then they sang and I blew out the candles on my small but sweet Birthday Cake. Then of course, the guest of honor arrived: Mickey Mouse! I felt pretty silly considering it was my TWENTY-third and not my THIRD birthday, but it was still fun. The Japansese teenager that was likely playing Mickey popped his (her?) head into the room in perfect Mickey fashion and we posed for a whole slew of pictures ... and then blew my birthday candles out again. Then Mickey had to leave so that he could get to the parade.. haha .. and we went back to our table. While we were gone, they folded our napkins to look like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and put a rose on my plate. We enjoyed a DELICIOUS meal and were just waiting for them to kick us out when all of the sudden the lights dimmed, they pulled back the curtains, and I saw the Blue Fairy wheeling straight towards me! For those of you who are not Disney-Literate; the Electrical Light Parade began and went directly beneath our window. We could hear the music and watch the parade with the castle in the background! It was so perfect. They let us stay to watch the fireworks too, and gave us some souvenir Club 33 sticker books (well, match books that had stickers inside) that had our names and the date on them. Not to mention the souvenir photos with Mickey Mouse - those were great too! haha.
We left, rode Peter Pan, the Tea Cups and It's A Small World ... and then had to leave to go home (always the saddest part of any Disney day)
It was the most relaxing and happy birthday I think I have had .. in recent memory anyway! And what a wonderful way to kick-start my trip! I of course was thinking of all of you - and wishing you could have been there too. We've been keeping quite busy in Tokyo, and I will update soon if I can. We leave on Thursday to make our trek into Cambodia, and I am sure this is the last reliable internet connection I'll have for a while... so pleae be patient and check back often!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
I made it to JAPAN!
Konnichiwa! (Yes, I am *that* lame and predictable.) I have finally made it to Japan and my vacation/adventure has begun!!
On Tuesday morning Andrea and I flew from Seoul to Hiroshima. Hiroshima is probably the quietest place I have ever been. The airport was practically abandonned. Ｗｅ ｃｏｌｌｅｃｔｅｄ ｏｕｒ ｂａｇｓ， ｃｈａｎｇｅｄ ｏｕｒ ｍｏｎｅｙ， ａｎｄ ｔｒｉｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｏｕｔ ａ ｗａｙ ｉｎｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ． Ｔｈｅｒｅ ｗａｓ ｎｏ ｏｎｅ ａｔ ｔｈｅ ｉｎｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎ ｄｅｓｋ， ａｎｄ ｚｅｒｏ ｓｉｇｎ－ａｄｇｅ ｉｎ Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ ．． ｓｏ ｔｈａｔ ｔｏｏｋ ａｗｈｉｌｅ． ｈａｈａ． Ｗｅ ｆｉｎａｌｌｙ ｇｏｔ ｔｏ ｏｕｒ ｈｏｓｔｅｌ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｎｉｇｈｔ， Ｊ－Ｈｏｐｐｅｒｓ， ｈａｖｉｎｇ ａｌｒｅａｄｙ ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ ｔｏ ｃａｎｃｅｌ ｏｕｒ ｒｏｏｍ ａｎｄ ｈｅａｄ ｆｏｒ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ｔｈａｔ ｅｖｅｎｉｎｇ （Ｓｏ ｔｈａｔ Ｉ ｃｏｕｌｄ ｓｏｒｔ ｏｕｔ ｓａｉｄ Ｖｉｓａ ｐｒｏｂｌｅｍｓ）． Ｔｈｅｙ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ａｔ Ｊ－Ｈｏｐｐｅｒｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｈｅｌｐｆｕｌ ａｎｄ ｑｕｉｔｅ ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｈｅｌｐｅｄ ｕｓ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｏｕｔ ｏｕｒ ｗａｙ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｔｒａｉｎ ｓｔａｔｉｏｎ．Ｂｅｆｏｒｅ ｗｅ ｈｅａｄｅｄ ｔｏ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ｗｅ ｔｏｏｋ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｍａｊｏｒ ｓｉｇｈｔｓ ｏｆ Ｈｉｒｏｓｈｉｍａ ｆｏｒ ｏｎｅ ａｆｔｅｒｎｏｏｎ． Ｗｅ ｗａｌｋｅｄ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ Ｐｅａｃｅ Ｍｅｍｏｒｉａｌ Ｐａｒｋ ａｎｄ ｓａｗ ｔｈｅ ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔｓ ａｎｄ ｍｅｍｏｒｉａｌｓ ｔｏ ｔｈｏｓｅ ｗｈｏｓｅ ｌｉｖｅｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｌｏｓｔ ｗｈｅｎ ｔｈｅ Ａ－Ｂｏｍｂ ｗａｓ ｄｒｏｐｐｅｄ． Ｕｎｆｏｒｔｕｎａｔｅｌｙ， ｗｅ ｄｉｄｎ’ｔ ｈａｖｅ ｔｉｍｅ ｔｏ ｖｉｓｉｔ ｔｈｅ ｍｕｓｅｕｍ．
Ｔｈｅ ｐａｒｋ ｉｔｓｅｌｆ ｉｓ ｂｅａｕｔｉｆｕｌ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔｆｕｌｌｙ ｐｌａｎｎｅｄ， ａｎｄ ｉｓ ｑｕｉｔｅ ．．ｗｅｌｌ．． ｐｅａｃｅｆｕｌ． Ａｌｌ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｐｌａｑｕｅｓ ａｎｄ ｄｅｄｉｃａｔｉｏｎｓ ｍａｒｋ ｔｈｅ ｄａｔｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ａｒｅ ｅｎｇｒａｖｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｈｏｐｅｆｕｌ ｍｅｓｓａｇｅｓ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｉｓ ｓｏｒｔ ｏｆ ｄｅｖａｓｔａｔｉｏｎ ｗｉｌｌ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｏｃｃｕｒ ａｇａｉｎ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｗｏｎｄｅｒｆｕｌ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｈｏｗ ｕｎｉｖｅｒｓａｌｌｙ ｈｏｐｅｆｕｌ ａｎｄ ｏｐｔｉｍｉｓｔｉｃ ｔｈｅ ｓｅｎｔｉｍｅｎｔ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔｓ ｗｅｒｅ； ｗｈｅｎ ｔｈｅ Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｒｅａｌｌｙ ｈａｖｅ ｔｈｅ ｒｉｇｈｔ ａｎｄ ｏｐｐｏｒｔｕｎｉｔｙ ｔｏ ｂｅ ｕｐｓｅｔ ａｂｏｕｔ ｔｈｅ ｍａｎｎｅｒ ｉｎ ｗｈｉｃｈ ｔｈｅｙ ｗｅｒｅ ａｔｔａｃｋｅｄ． Ｔｈｅ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂ ｅｘｐｌｏｄｅｄ ｄｉｒｅｃｔｌｙ ａｂｏｖｅ ｉｓ ｐａｒｔａｉｌｌｙ ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｈａｓ ｂｅｅｎ ｎａｍｅｄ ｔｈｅ Ａ－Ｂｏｍｂ Ｄｏｍｅ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｕｔｔｅｒｌｙ ｂｏｎｅ－ｃｈｉｌｌｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｉｎ ｐｅｒｓｏｎ． Ｔｈｅｒｅ ｗａｓ ａ ｌｏｔ ｏｆ ａｒｇｕｍｅｎｔｓ ｏｖｅｒ ｗｈｅｔｈｅｒ ｔｈｅ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｓｈｏｕｌｄ ｈａｖｅ ｂｅｅｎ ｄｅｍｏｌｉｓｈｅｄ， ｒｅｓｔｏｒｒｅｄ ｏｒ ｌｅｆｔ ａｓ ｉｓ．．．ｂｕｔ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｅｎｄ （ｓｏｍｅｔｉｍｅ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ６０ｓ） ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｅｙ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｗａｓ ａｎ ｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔ ｒｅｍｉｎｄｅｒ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｐａｉｎ ｔｈａｔ Ｊａｐａｎ ｓｕｆｆｅｒｅｄ ａｓ ａ ｒｅｓｕｌｔ ｏｆ ａｔｏｍｉｃ ｗａｒｆａｒｅ， ａｎｄ ａ ｍｅｓｓａｇｅ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｆｕｔｕｒｅ ｓｏ ｔｈａｔ ｈｏｐｅｆｕｌｌｙ， ｔｈｉｎｇｓ ｗｉｌｌ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｅｓｃａｌａｔｅ ｔｏ ｔｈａｔ ｌｅｖｅｌ ａｇａｉｎ．
Ｔｈｅ ｍｏｓｔ ｔｏｕｃｈｉｎｇ ｐａｒｔ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｐａｒｋ ｗａｓ ｐｒｏｂａｂｌｙ ｔｈｅ Ｃｈｉｌｄｒｅｎ’ｓ Ｐｅａｃｅ Ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ． Ｗｈｅｎ Ｉ ｗａｓ ｉｎ ｔｈｉｒｄ ｇｒａｄｅ， Ｉ ｃａｎ ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｍｙ ｔｅａｃｈｅｒ ｔｅｌｌｉｎｇ ｕｓ ｔｈｅ ｓｔｏｒｙ ｏｆ ｏｎｅ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｇｉｒｌ， ｗｈｏ ｗａｓ ｄｉａｇｎｏｓｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｌｅｕｋｅｍｉａ ａｓ ａ ｒｅｓｕｌｔ．Ｓｈｅ ｗａｎｔｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｏｌｄ ｏｎｅ ｐａｐｅｒ ｃｒａｎｅ ｆｏｒ ｅｖｅｒｙ ｐｅｒｓｏｎ ｗｈｏ was ｋｉｌｌｅｄ ｏｎ Ａｕｇｕｓｔ ６， １９４５． Ｓａｄｌｙ， ｓｈｅ ｗａｓｎ’ｔ ａｂｌｅ ｔｏ ｆｉｎｉｓｈ， ｂｕｔ ａｆｔｅｒ ｈｅｒ ｄｅａｔｈ， ｈｅｒ ｃｌａｓｓｍａｔｅｓ ｆｉｎｉｓｈｅｄ ｆｏｒ ｈｅｒ － ａｎｄ ｔｈｅｎ ｐｅｔｉｔｉｏｎｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ ｔｏ ｂｕｉｌｄ ａ ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ ｉｎ ｈｏｎｏｒ ｏｆ ｈｅｒ － ａｎｄ ａｌｌ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｏｔｈｅｒ ｃｈｉｌｄｒｅｎ ｗｈｏ ｄｉｅｄ ａｓ ａ ｒｅｓｕｌｔ ｏｆ ｒａｄｉａｔｉｏｎ ｐｏｉｓｏｎｉｎｇ ．．．Ｈｅｒｅ ｉｓ ｈｅｒ ｓｔｏｒｙ ｃｏｐｐｉｅｄ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ Ｈｉｒｏｓｈｉｍａ Ｃｉｔｙ Ｗｅｂｓｉｔｅ：
Sadako was two years old when she was exposed to the A-bomb. She had no apparent injuries and grew into a strong and healthy girl. However, nine years later in the fall when she was in the sixth grade of elementary school (1954), she suddenly developed signs of an illness. In February the following year she was diagnosed with leukemia and was admitted to the Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital. Believing that folding paper cranes would help her recover, she kept folding them to the end, but on October 25, 1955, after an eight-month struggle with the disease, she passed away.
Sadako's death triggered a campaign to build a monument to pray for world peace and the peaceful repose of the many children killed by the atomic bomb. The Children's Peace Monument that stands in Peace Park was built with funds donated from all over Japan. Later, this story spread to the world, and now, approximately 10 million cranes are offered each year before the Children's Peace Monument.
Ｓｅｅｉｎｇ ｔｈａｔ Ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ， ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｃａｓｅｓ ｏｆ ｐａｐｅｒ ｃｒａｎｅｓ ｓｅｎｔ ｉｎ ｆｒｏｍ ａｌｌ ｏｖｅｒ ｔｈｅ ｗｏｒｌｄ ｗａｓ ｓｔｕｎｎｉｎｇ － ａｎｄ ｅｘｔｒａｏｒｄｉｎａｒｉｌｙ ｆｕｆｉｌｌｉｎｇ！ Ｉ ｃａｎ ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｌｅａｒｎｉｎｇ ａｂｏｕｔ Ｊａｐａｎ， ａｎｄ Ｈｉｒｏｓｈｉｍａ ｆｒｏｍ Ｍｒｓ． Ｃｏｂｌｅ ｓｏ ｃｌｅａｒｌｙ － ａｎｄ ｔｈｉｎｋｉｎｇ ｈｏｗ Ｉ ｗａｎｔｅｄ ｔｏ ｇｏ ｔｈｅｒｅ ｓｏｍｅｄａｙ．Ａｎｄ ｎｏｗ Ｉ ｈａｖｅ！Ｉ ｄｏｎ’ｔ ｋｎｏｗ ．．． ｉｎ ｍａｎｙ ｗａｙｓ ｉｔ ｆｅｌｔ ｓａｃｒｅｄ ｔｏ ｂｅ ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ ｔｈｅｒｅ．
Ａｆｔｅｒ ｓｅｅｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｐａｒｋ ｗｅ ｃａｕｇｈｔ ａ ｔｒａｉｎ ｔｏ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ａｎｄ ｗｅ ｂｏｔｈ ｐａｓｓｅｄ ｏｕｔ！ ｈａｈａ． Ｉ ｈａｄ ｂａｒｅｌｙ ｓｌｅｐｔ ｔｈｅ ｐａｓｔ ｆｅｗ ｎｉｇｈｔｓ， ｈａｖｉｎｇ ｌｅｆｔ Ｋｏｒｅａ ｉｎ ｓｕｃｈ ａ ｗｈｉｒｌｗｉｎｄ，ｎｏｔ ｔｏ ｍｅｎｔｉｏｎ ｈａｖｉｎｇ ＷＯＲＫＥＤ ｔｈｅ ｄａｙ ｂｅｆｏｒｅ！ Ｗｅ ｆｏｕｎｄ ｔｈｅ Ｍａｒｒｉｏｔｔ ｗｉｔｈｏｕｔ ｔｏｏ ｍｕｃｈ ｔｒｏｕｂｌｅ， ａｎｄ ｗｅｒｅ ａｂｌｅ ｔｏ ｃｈｅｃｋ ｉｎ ｏｎｅ ｎｉｇｈｔ ｅａｒｌｙ． Ｉ ｄｏｎ：ｔ ｋｎｏｗ ｉｆ ｔｗｏ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｈａｖｅ ｅｖｅｒ ｂｅｅｎ ｈａｐｐｉｅｒ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｃｌｅａｎ ｓｈｅｅｔｓ， ａｎｄ ａ ｈｏｔ ｓｈｏｗｅｒ！！！ Ａｆｔｅｒ ａｌｌ ｗｅ ｈａｄ ｂｅｅｎ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ， ｓｔａｙｉｎｇ ｉｎ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ｔｈｉｓ ｗｅｅｋ ｈａｓ ｂｅｅｎ ｔｈｅ ｍｏｓｔ ａｍａｚｉｎｇ ｖａｃａｔｉｏｎ． Ｔｈｅ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ａｒｅ ｋｉｎｄ ａｎｄ ｈｅｌｐｆｕｌ． Ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ ｉｓ ｅｘｔｒａｏｒｄｉｎａｒｉｌｙ ｃｌｅａｎ． Ａｎｄ ｏｆ ｃｏｕｒｓｅ， ｔｈｅ ｆｏｏｄ － ａｎｄ ＶＡＲＩＥＴＹ ｏｆ ｆｏｏｄ － ｈａｓ ｂｅｅｎ ａｍａｚｉｎｇ． Ｔｈｅｙ ｅｖｅｎ ｈａｖｅ ｏｎｅ ｏｆ ｍｙ ｆａｖｏｒｉｔｅ ｃｏｆｆｅｅ ｓｈｏｐｓ ｆｒｏｍ ｈｏｍｅ （Ｔｕｌｌｙ’ｓ Ｃｏｆｆｅｅ） ｒｉｇｈｔ ｎｅｘｔ ｔｏ ｏｕｒ ｈｏｔｅｌ！Ｔｈｉｓ ｉｓ ａ ｓｐｅｃｔａｃｕｌａｒ ｗａｙ ｔｏ ｂｅｇｉｎ ｏｕｒ ｔｒｉｐ！
Ｔｈｅ ｄｏｍｅ ｙｏｕ ｓｅｅ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ ｔｈｅ ａｒｃｈ ｉｓ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ Ａ－Ｂｏｍｂ Ｄｏｍｅ
Ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂ ｅｘｐｌｏｄｅｄ ａｂｏｕｔ 160 meters / 490 feet away and 580 meters / 1968 feet above ｔｈｉｓ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ．Ｔｈｅ ｄｉａｇｒａｍ ｓｈｏｗｓ ｔｈｅ ｏｒｉｇｉｎａｌ ｓｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅ， ｔｈｅ ｄａｎａｇｅ ａｆｔｅｒｗａｒｄｓ， ｔｈｅ ｒｅｉｎｆｏｒｃｅｍｅｎｔｓ ｍａｄｅ ｔｏ ｋｅｅｐ ｉｔ ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ， ａｎｄ ａｎ ａｅｒｉａｌ ｖｉｅｗ ｆｒｏｍ ａｐｐｒｏｘｉｍａｔｅｌｙ ｔｈｅ ｅｘａｃｔ ｐｏｉｎｔ ｗｈｅｒｅ ｉｔ ｅｘｐｌｏｄｅｄ．
Ｔｈｅ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｗａｓ ａｎ ｉｃｏｎ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ ｂｅｆｏｒｅ ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｗａｓ ｕｓｅｄ ａｓ ｂｏｔｈ ａ ｔｅｍｐｏｒａｒｙ ｍｕｓｅｕｍ， ａ ｃｕｌｔｕｒａｌ ｃｅｎｔｅｒ ａｎｄ ａｎ ｏｆｆｉｃａｌ ｇｏｖｅｒｎｍｅｎｔ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ． Ｔｈｉｓ ｉｓ ａ ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅ ｏｆ ｉｔ ｎｏｗ， ａｎｄ ａｓ ｉｔ ｌｏｏｋｅｄ ｏｒｉｇｉｎａｌｌｙ．
Ｃｈｉｌｄｒｅｎ’ｓ Ｐｅａｃｅ Ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ
On Tuesday morning Andrea and I flew from Seoul to Hiroshima. Hiroshima is probably the quietest place I have ever been. The airport was practically abandonned. Ｗｅ ｃｏｌｌｅｃｔｅｄ ｏｕｒ ｂａｇｓ， ｃｈａｎｇｅｄ ｏｕｒ ｍｏｎｅｙ， ａｎｄ ｔｒｉｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｏｕｔ ａ ｗａｙ ｉｎｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ． Ｔｈｅｒｅ ｗａｓ ｎｏ ｏｎｅ ａｔ ｔｈｅ ｉｎｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎ ｄｅｓｋ， ａｎｄ ｚｅｒｏ ｓｉｇｎ－ａｄｇｅ ｉｎ Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ ．． ｓｏ ｔｈａｔ ｔｏｏｋ ａｗｈｉｌｅ． ｈａｈａ． Ｗｅ ｆｉｎａｌｌｙ ｇｏｔ ｔｏ ｏｕｒ ｈｏｓｔｅｌ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｎｉｇｈｔ， Ｊ－Ｈｏｐｐｅｒｓ， ｈａｖｉｎｇ ａｌｒｅａｄｙ ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ ｔｏ ｃａｎｃｅｌ ｏｕｒ ｒｏｏｍ ａｎｄ ｈｅａｄ ｆｏｒ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ｔｈａｔ ｅｖｅｎｉｎｇ （Ｓｏ ｔｈａｔ Ｉ ｃｏｕｌｄ ｓｏｒｔ ｏｕｔ ｓａｉｄ Ｖｉｓａ ｐｒｏｂｌｅｍｓ）． Ｔｈｅｙ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ａｔ Ｊ－Ｈｏｐｐｅｒｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｈｅｌｐｆｕｌ ａｎｄ ｑｕｉｔｅ ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｈｅｌｐｅｄ ｕｓ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｏｕｔ ｏｕｒ ｗａｙ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｔｒａｉｎ ｓｔａｔｉｏｎ．Ｂｅｆｏｒｅ ｗｅ ｈｅａｄｅｄ ｔｏ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ｗｅ ｔｏｏｋ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｍａｊｏｒ ｓｉｇｈｔｓ ｏｆ Ｈｉｒｏｓｈｉｍａ ｆｏｒ ｏｎｅ ａｆｔｅｒｎｏｏｎ． Ｗｅ ｗａｌｋｅｄ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ Ｐｅａｃｅ Ｍｅｍｏｒｉａｌ Ｐａｒｋ ａｎｄ ｓａｗ ｔｈｅ ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔｓ ａｎｄ ｍｅｍｏｒｉａｌｓ ｔｏ ｔｈｏｓｅ ｗｈｏｓｅ ｌｉｖｅｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｌｏｓｔ ｗｈｅｎ ｔｈｅ Ａ－Ｂｏｍｂ ｗａｓ ｄｒｏｐｐｅｄ． Ｕｎｆｏｒｔｕｎａｔｅｌｙ， ｗｅ ｄｉｄｎ’ｔ ｈａｖｅ ｔｉｍｅ ｔｏ ｖｉｓｉｔ ｔｈｅ ｍｕｓｅｕｍ．
Ｔｈｅ ｐａｒｋ ｉｔｓｅｌｆ ｉｓ ｂｅａｕｔｉｆｕｌ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔｆｕｌｌｙ ｐｌａｎｎｅｄ， ａｎｄ ｉｓ ｑｕｉｔｅ ．．ｗｅｌｌ．． ｐｅａｃｅｆｕｌ． Ａｌｌ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｐｌａｑｕｅｓ ａｎｄ ｄｅｄｉｃａｔｉｏｎｓ ｍａｒｋ ｔｈｅ ｄａｔｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ａｒｅ ｅｎｇｒａｖｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｈｏｐｅｆｕｌ ｍｅｓｓａｇｅｓ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｉｓ ｓｏｒｔ ｏｆ ｄｅｖａｓｔａｔｉｏｎ ｗｉｌｌ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｏｃｃｕｒ ａｇａｉｎ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｗｏｎｄｅｒｆｕｌ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｈｏｗ ｕｎｉｖｅｒｓａｌｌｙ ｈｏｐｅｆｕｌ ａｎｄ ｏｐｔｉｍｉｓｔｉｃ ｔｈｅ ｓｅｎｔｉｍｅｎｔ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔｓ ｗｅｒｅ； ｗｈｅｎ ｔｈｅ Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｒｅａｌｌｙ ｈａｖｅ ｔｈｅ ｒｉｇｈｔ ａｎｄ ｏｐｐｏｒｔｕｎｉｔｙ ｔｏ ｂｅ ｕｐｓｅｔ ａｂｏｕｔ ｔｈｅ ｍａｎｎｅｒ ｉｎ ｗｈｉｃｈ ｔｈｅｙ ｗｅｒｅ ａｔｔａｃｋｅｄ． Ｔｈｅ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂ ｅｘｐｌｏｄｅｄ ｄｉｒｅｃｔｌｙ ａｂｏｖｅ ｉｓ ｐａｒｔａｉｌｌｙ ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｈａｓ ｂｅｅｎ ｎａｍｅｄ ｔｈｅ Ａ－Ｂｏｍｂ Ｄｏｍｅ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｕｔｔｅｒｌｙ ｂｏｎｅ－ｃｈｉｌｌｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｉｎ ｐｅｒｓｏｎ． Ｔｈｅｒｅ ｗａｓ ａ ｌｏｔ ｏｆ ａｒｇｕｍｅｎｔｓ ｏｖｅｒ ｗｈｅｔｈｅｒ ｔｈｅ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｓｈｏｕｌｄ ｈａｖｅ ｂｅｅｎ ｄｅｍｏｌｉｓｈｅｄ， ｒｅｓｔｏｒｒｅｄ ｏｒ ｌｅｆｔ ａｓ ｉｓ．．．ｂｕｔ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｅｎｄ （ｓｏｍｅｔｉｍｅ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ６０ｓ） ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｅｙ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｗａｓ ａｎ ｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔ ｒｅｍｉｎｄｅｒ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｐａｉｎ ｔｈａｔ Ｊａｐａｎ ｓｕｆｆｅｒｅｄ ａｓ ａ ｒｅｓｕｌｔ ｏｆ ａｔｏｍｉｃ ｗａｒｆａｒｅ， ａｎｄ ａ ｍｅｓｓａｇｅ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｆｕｔｕｒｅ ｓｏ ｔｈａｔ ｈｏｐｅｆｕｌｌｙ， ｔｈｉｎｇｓ ｗｉｌｌ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｅｓｃａｌａｔｅ ｔｏ ｔｈａｔ ｌｅｖｅｌ ａｇａｉｎ．
Ｔｈｅ ｍｏｓｔ ｔｏｕｃｈｉｎｇ ｐａｒｔ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｐａｒｋ ｗａｓ ｐｒｏｂａｂｌｙ ｔｈｅ Ｃｈｉｌｄｒｅｎ’ｓ Ｐｅａｃｅ Ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ． Ｗｈｅｎ Ｉ ｗａｓ ｉｎ ｔｈｉｒｄ ｇｒａｄｅ， Ｉ ｃａｎ ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｍｙ ｔｅａｃｈｅｒ ｔｅｌｌｉｎｇ ｕｓ ｔｈｅ ｓｔｏｒｙ ｏｆ ｏｎｅ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｇｉｒｌ， ｗｈｏ ｗａｓ ｄｉａｇｎｏｓｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｌｅｕｋｅｍｉａ ａｓ ａ ｒｅｓｕｌｔ．Ｓｈｅ ｗａｎｔｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｏｌｄ ｏｎｅ ｐａｐｅｒ ｃｒａｎｅ ｆｏｒ ｅｖｅｒｙ ｐｅｒｓｏｎ ｗｈｏ was ｋｉｌｌｅｄ ｏｎ Ａｕｇｕｓｔ ６， １９４５． Ｓａｄｌｙ， ｓｈｅ ｗａｓｎ’ｔ ａｂｌｅ ｔｏ ｆｉｎｉｓｈ， ｂｕｔ ａｆｔｅｒ ｈｅｒ ｄｅａｔｈ， ｈｅｒ ｃｌａｓｓｍａｔｅｓ ｆｉｎｉｓｈｅｄ ｆｏｒ ｈｅｒ － ａｎｄ ｔｈｅｎ ｐｅｔｉｔｉｏｎｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ ｔｏ ｂｕｉｌｄ ａ ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ ｉｎ ｈｏｎｏｒ ｏｆ ｈｅｒ － ａｎｄ ａｌｌ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｏｔｈｅｒ ｃｈｉｌｄｒｅｎ ｗｈｏ ｄｉｅｄ ａｓ ａ ｒｅｓｕｌｔ ｏｆ ｒａｄｉａｔｉｏｎ ｐｏｉｓｏｎｉｎｇ ．．．Ｈｅｒｅ ｉｓ ｈｅｒ ｓｔｏｒｙ ｃｏｐｐｉｅｄ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ Ｈｉｒｏｓｈｉｍａ Ｃｉｔｙ Ｗｅｂｓｉｔｅ：
Sadako was two years old when she was exposed to the A-bomb. She had no apparent injuries and grew into a strong and healthy girl. However, nine years later in the fall when she was in the sixth grade of elementary school (1954), she suddenly developed signs of an illness. In February the following year she was diagnosed with leukemia and was admitted to the Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital. Believing that folding paper cranes would help her recover, she kept folding them to the end, but on October 25, 1955, after an eight-month struggle with the disease, she passed away.
Sadako's death triggered a campaign to build a monument to pray for world peace and the peaceful repose of the many children killed by the atomic bomb. The Children's Peace Monument that stands in Peace Park was built with funds donated from all over Japan. Later, this story spread to the world, and now, approximately 10 million cranes are offered each year before the Children's Peace Monument.
Ｓｅｅｉｎｇ ｔｈａｔ Ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ， ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｃａｓｅｓ ｏｆ ｐａｐｅｒ ｃｒａｎｅｓ ｓｅｎｔ ｉｎ ｆｒｏｍ ａｌｌ ｏｖｅｒ ｔｈｅ ｗｏｒｌｄ ｗａｓ ｓｔｕｎｎｉｎｇ － ａｎｄ ｅｘｔｒａｏｒｄｉｎａｒｉｌｙ ｆｕｆｉｌｌｉｎｇ！ Ｉ ｃａｎ ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｌｅａｒｎｉｎｇ ａｂｏｕｔ Ｊａｐａｎ， ａｎｄ Ｈｉｒｏｓｈｉｍａ ｆｒｏｍ Ｍｒｓ． Ｃｏｂｌｅ ｓｏ ｃｌｅａｒｌｙ － ａｎｄ ｔｈｉｎｋｉｎｇ ｈｏｗ Ｉ ｗａｎｔｅｄ ｔｏ ｇｏ ｔｈｅｒｅ ｓｏｍｅｄａｙ．Ａｎｄ ｎｏｗ Ｉ ｈａｖｅ！Ｉ ｄｏｎ’ｔ ｋｎｏｗ ．．． ｉｎ ｍａｎｙ ｗａｙｓ ｉｔ ｆｅｌｔ ｓａｃｒｅｄ ｔｏ ｂｅ ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ ｔｈｅｒｅ．
Ａｆｔｅｒ ｓｅｅｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｐａｒｋ ｗｅ ｃａｕｇｈｔ ａ ｔｒａｉｎ ｔｏ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ａｎｄ ｗｅ ｂｏｔｈ ｐａｓｓｅｄ ｏｕｔ！ ｈａｈａ． Ｉ ｈａｄ ｂａｒｅｌｙ ｓｌｅｐｔ ｔｈｅ ｐａｓｔ ｆｅｗ ｎｉｇｈｔｓ， ｈａｖｉｎｇ ｌｅｆｔ Ｋｏｒｅａ ｉｎ ｓｕｃｈ ａ ｗｈｉｒｌｗｉｎｄ，ｎｏｔ ｔｏ ｍｅｎｔｉｏｎ ｈａｖｉｎｇ ＷＯＲＫＥＤ ｔｈｅ ｄａｙ ｂｅｆｏｒｅ！ Ｗｅ ｆｏｕｎｄ ｔｈｅ Ｍａｒｒｉｏｔｔ ｗｉｔｈｏｕｔ ｔｏｏ ｍｕｃｈ ｔｒｏｕｂｌｅ， ａｎｄ ｗｅｒｅ ａｂｌｅ ｔｏ ｃｈｅｃｋ ｉｎ ｏｎｅ ｎｉｇｈｔ ｅａｒｌｙ． Ｉ ｄｏｎ：ｔ ｋｎｏｗ ｉｆ ｔｗｏ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｈａｖｅ ｅｖｅｒ ｂｅｅｎ ｈａｐｐｉｅｒ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｃｌｅａｎ ｓｈｅｅｔｓ， ａｎｄ ａ ｈｏｔ ｓｈｏｗｅｒ！！！ Ａｆｔｅｒ ａｌｌ ｗｅ ｈａｄ ｂｅｅｎ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ， ｓｔａｙｉｎｇ ｉｎ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ｔｈｉｓ ｗｅｅｋ ｈａｓ ｂｅｅｎ ｔｈｅ ｍｏｓｔ ａｍａｚｉｎｇ ｖａｃａｔｉｏｎ． Ｔｈｅ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ａｒｅ ｋｉｎｄ ａｎｄ ｈｅｌｐｆｕｌ． Ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ ｉｓ ｅｘｔｒａｏｒｄｉｎａｒｉｌｙ ｃｌｅａｎ． Ａｎｄ ｏｆ ｃｏｕｒｓｅ， ｔｈｅ ｆｏｏｄ － ａｎｄ ＶＡＲＩＥＴＹ ｏｆ ｆｏｏｄ － ｈａｓ ｂｅｅｎ ａｍａｚｉｎｇ． Ｔｈｅｙ ｅｖｅｎ ｈａｖｅ ｏｎｅ ｏｆ ｍｙ ｆａｖｏｒｉｔｅ ｃｏｆｆｅｅ ｓｈｏｐｓ ｆｒｏｍ ｈｏｍｅ （Ｔｕｌｌｙ’ｓ Ｃｏｆｆｅｅ） ｒｉｇｈｔ ｎｅｘｔ ｔｏ ｏｕｒ ｈｏｔｅｌ！Ｔｈｉｓ ｉｓ ａ ｓｐｅｃｔａｃｕｌａｒ ｗａｙ ｔｏ ｂｅｇｉｎ ｏｕｒ ｔｒｉｐ！
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Ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂ ｅｘｐｌｏｄｅｄ ａｂｏｕｔ 160 meters / 490 feet away and 580 meters / 1968 feet above ｔｈｉｓ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ．Ｔｈｅ ｄｉａｇｒａｍ ｓｈｏｗｓ ｔｈｅ ｏｒｉｇｉｎａｌ ｓｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅ， ｔｈｅ ｄａｎａｇｅ ａｆｔｅｒｗａｒｄｓ， ｔｈｅ ｒｅｉｎｆｏｒｃｅｍｅｎｔｓ ｍａｄｅ ｔｏ ｋｅｅｐ ｉｔ ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ， ａｎｄ ａｎ ａｅｒｉａｌ ｖｉｅｗ ｆｒｏｍ ａｐｐｒｏｘｉｍａｔｅｌｙ ｔｈｅ ｅｘａｃｔ ｐｏｉｎｔ ｗｈｅｒｅ ｉｔ ｅｘｐｌｏｄｅｄ．
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Saturday, August 30, 2008
Murphey's Law
I'm not sure why I expected everything to go smoothly ... b/c when you're taking on a trip as ambitious as we are, there are bound to be a few hang ups. SO - long story short - I am leaving Korea on Tuesday morning without a tourist visa to India. This means I need to ammend my itinerary and stay in Japan long enough for my visa application to process there. Which means ... I have to say annyong to Thailand. Not gonna lie, I am more than a little bit disappointed. But I have fumed, and complained, and accepted it, and now I am over it. I am grateful for the perspectove top recognize that ... poor me... I have to spend a full 8 days in Japan. boo hoo.
Other than that, work has been - work. And I have been trying to ignore it and enjoy my last days with my students. Their mother's are extraordinarily generous and I have received very kind notes and gifts from them saying they'll miss me and wishing me luck on my trip. Some of my kids are pretty bummed - and in a strange way I am grateful for that. I was so worried that they wouldn't care when I left. But Niki, my replacement, is wonderful and I know she will do great with them! I think my students will warm up to her in no time. She has the same hair color, so my kids are glad for that too. haha. :-)
Other than that, work has been - work. And I have been trying to ignore it and enjoy my last days with my students. Their mother's are extraordinarily generous and I have received very kind notes and gifts from them saying they'll miss me and wishing me luck on my trip. Some of my kids are pretty bummed - and in a strange way I am grateful for that. I was so worried that they wouldn't care when I left. But Niki, my replacement, is wonderful and I know she will do great with them! I think my students will warm up to her in no time. She has the same hair color, so my kids are glad for that too. haha. :-)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
We are experiencing technical difficulties...
...That meaning, I don't have a computer anymore.
I am going to do my best to keep updating, but right now I am quite busy because I leave Korea in a week!
No worries though, the adventures will continue.
Stay Tuned :-)
I am going to do my best to keep updating, but right now I am quite busy because I leave Korea in a week!
No worries though, the adventures will continue.
Stay Tuned :-)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Beijing huan ying ni! ...The Olympics
Okay, so maybe I am not in Beijing, so I shouldn't tell you 'Beijing huan ying ni' (which means 'Welcome to Beijing') ... but I am really into the Olympic Mascots, and their names spell that sentence out. So that's what you get.
Sorry for the one week hiatus, but life has been super hectic since Summer Vacation. (As I guessed it would be.) I was able to watch the opening ceremonies - twice! I watched them in Korean last Friday night on KBS, and then watched them when AFN broadcasted them the next morning. I thought they were stunning, both times. My favorite part was when they recreated traditional Chinese images with giant (human) printing blocks. But overall I was mostly impressed with the Chinese's ability to synchronize thousands of people into such intricate designs and choreography. It was beautiful! Since the games have started I have been keeping an Olympic medal count on the board in my classroom. I love to see the kids get excited when we update it together in the morning. Koreans are very competitive and it's so fun to be here for the games. Other than Beijing, I imagine Korea is one of the best places to watch the Olympics this year. They are doing very well in the overal standings, and everyone is very excited for the games. It's interesting. I have never been in a foreign country for the Olympics before. And for me, seeing the enthusiasm Koreans have for the Olympic Games emphasizes the real point of them... international competition and friendship. It makes me glad.
And in other news, my parents are in Korea. We're in Busan for the weekend ... but I will update with details of their trip another time.
GO USA!
Sorry for the one week hiatus, but life has been super hectic since Summer Vacation. (As I guessed it would be.) I was able to watch the opening ceremonies - twice! I watched them in Korean last Friday night on KBS, and then watched them when AFN broadcasted them the next morning. I thought they were stunning, both times. My favorite part was when they recreated traditional Chinese images with giant (human) printing blocks. But overall I was mostly impressed with the Chinese's ability to synchronize thousands of people into such intricate designs and choreography. It was beautiful! Since the games have started I have been keeping an Olympic medal count on the board in my classroom. I love to see the kids get excited when we update it together in the morning. Koreans are very competitive and it's so fun to be here for the games. Other than Beijing, I imagine Korea is one of the best places to watch the Olympics this year. They are doing very well in the overal standings, and everyone is very excited for the games. It's interesting. I have never been in a foreign country for the Olympics before. And for me, seeing the enthusiasm Koreans have for the Olympic Games emphasizes the real point of them... international competition and friendship. It makes me glad.
And in other news, my parents are in Korea. We're in Busan for the weekend ... but I will update with details of their trip another time.
GO USA!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Boracay...
...was amazing. This was one of the best vacations, ever, period! For so many other reasons than the sheer beauty of the island too.We had an *interesting* night in Manila (sleeping on benches outside of the closed airport) while we waited for our connection to Kalibo. Once we got to Kalibo it completely set in - we made it! From there, a friend we met on he plane helped us to find affordable transport to Caticlan where the folks from Frendz were waiting to pick us up. Once we got there, it was just one more short boat ride to Boracay. The boats are so small they just pull right up to the shore and you climb on in! Once we got to Boracay, we took "trikes" (a motorcycle with a sort of passenger cart on the side that seats 4) to our hostel. Frendz was full of other teachers from Korea, and we ade a lot of quick friends. It was great! I guess that's expected when EVERY hagwon in the entire city has the same week off for Summer Vacation.
We did a lot of relaxing. The food was wonderful - it was so nice to have so many choices! Most of the places we ate for dinner had tables set up right on the beach so you could eat with your toes in the sand. : ) The storm that was expected to hit the Philippines went off towards China instead, so we had excellent weather (considering it's rainy everywhere in Southeast Asia this time of year!) for the whole week. Other than just laying on the beach and soaking up the glorious sun, the four of us went island hopping and snorkeling, and I spent one day at a spa. (Which was wonderful, of course - i had a view of the ocean from my room!!) The views on the island hopping trip were stunning. And the company was great - a big group from Frendz came too, and they were very, well.. friendly! Sadly the snorkeling was sort of a disappointment. Most of their reef is completely dead - and they don't seem to have too many laws in place to protect it... some of the other people on our boat pocketed two starfish and one beautiful and giant shellfish. It was nearly as big as my face! When we urged them to put them back, the Filipino guide discouraged them, and told them the shellfish was yummy... so they kept them. Sad.
The beaches were truly breathtaking though. I have never seen sand that was so fine and so WHITE! Really.. some say it looks like cocaine - I'd like to say flour, thanks. haha. I mean, when you look at the pictures it doesn't do it justice. The best thing about our "resort" was that it was just 2 minutes from the best beach on the island. Not too far from the restaurants and bars etc ... but far enough that you don't feel hounded on the beach. I felt so in my element, sitting on the beach with my journal at sunset letting my mind run miles a minute. It was perfect. Especially with my year in Korea winding down (really, can you believe it?), I feel like I have a lot of possibility ahead of me, and a gorgeous beach at sunset isn't exactly a bad place to sort those things out. I thought about my goals and my dreams and about the person I am becoming - and that was all really exciting. And that's a big thing for me because I don't really do change well; to say the least. Being in Boracay on a REAL vacation for the first time on my own in my (gulp) adult life was so surreal. Thinking about all my friends and I are about to take on, being surrounded by other people our age doing the same things as us, meeting people from all corners of the world who are stopping over in this paradise before heading back to reality and real world jobs... I can't imagine going from Boracay to your new gig as an accountant in Manchester. But hey! That's just me. But all together, the thought of it all -taking it all in and just relaxing into my thoughts for the week- made me feel so alive. I'm excited for what's about to come... in so many ways my 'adventure' is really just beginning.
Some kids playing on the shields (?) they put up to protect people from the rain/wind at night.
Me and Liz at dinner on the beach.
Swimming during our island hopping trip.
So lucky to be there!
Out for Indian food (so good!) on Mullen's last night.
As always, stay tuned. : )
Monday, August 4, 2008
Teaser
So looking back on this, some of my posts are uber long -- do you all EVER finish those ones? If not - let me know.
Also, it came to my attention that you might not all know about my grand travel plans that set into motion in a mere TWENTY EIGHT days. so for the record: Andrea, Kirsten, Liz and I are traveling together (you did know that much, right?) for about 2 months. I will be setting foot in the following places (if everything goes right): Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Bahrain, Egypt, Greece, Croatia, Italy, France, Ireland, and now maybe England because my sister pointed out that the Chargers play the Saints in London (long story) the day we leave Dublin -- it just so happens that those are my two favorite NFL teams. So there may be a detour if I can afford it. After that I will spend Halloween in D.C., shoot up to New York to see a few friends and Equus before flying home on voting day. So there - that's the story.
And yes, a post on Boracay is coming soon -seriously soon- I have to upload my photos first, but stay tuned. It's coming, I swear. Keep reading ... even the long ones! lol
Also, it came to my attention that you might not all know about my grand travel plans that set into motion in a mere TWENTY EIGHT days. so for the record: Andrea, Kirsten, Liz and I are traveling together (you did know that much, right?) for about 2 months. I will be setting foot in the following places (if everything goes right): Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Bahrain, Egypt, Greece, Croatia, Italy, France, Ireland, and now maybe England because my sister pointed out that the Chargers play the Saints in London (long story) the day we leave Dublin -- it just so happens that those are my two favorite NFL teams. So there may be a detour if I can afford it. After that I will spend Halloween in D.C., shoot up to New York to see a few friends and Equus before flying home on voting day. So there - that's the story.
And yes, a post on Boracay is coming soon -seriously soon- I have to upload my photos first, but stay tuned. It's coming, I swear. Keep reading ... even the long ones! lol
Friday, July 25, 2008
Summer Vacation!
Summer vacation has finally arrived! Tomorrow night I will be headed to the infamous white sand beaches of Boracay!!! I have been looking forward to this trip for a long time, and am so grateful for the time off. Work has been hectic for all of us Seoulites (per usual - it is called work, right?) and a week relaxing at the beach is just what the doctor ordered. Even if it rains everyday we are there (it's the rainy season in all of Southeast Asia), I know that nothing can ruin this vacation! After we get back to Seoul, my parents come for a two week visit, and then before I know it, it will be September and we'll be heading off for our round the world adventure! But this week, I am not going to think about everything I need to do or get in order - I am just going to RELAX!See you in a week!! :-)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Lost Blog: Skiing, Seoraksan and Spring Break
Recently, a coworker was asking about visiting Seoraksan over Summer vacation. I wanted to tell her how much I enjoyed it - and so I thought I would show her my blog. I logged on and GASP! I actually never really wrote about the details of our Lunar New Year Trip!! Considering this was one of the most insane weekends of my LIFE... I couldn't believe I managed to forget to write about it. So here, 6 months later, is how the trip went:We booked through Z Travel Bug instead of Adventure Korea, because they were both offering similar packages, and Z Travel Bug's was a bit cheaper. I preferred the trip through Adventure Korea because they had one more day of skiing, but others in our group liked that the Z Travel Bug trip was spending time in Seoraksan National Park, while the other was just heading to Sokcho (the province where Seoraksan is) and going to the beach (IN FEBRUARY?!) In hindsight it's sort of a toss-up whether we made the right decision... Let's make things clear: I am *not* recommending Z Travel Bug to anyone in Korea. Our bus was always late, and cold, and broke down... twice. The meals that were provided were inconvenient and unappetizing. And the overall trip was a few jello shots short of a disorganized Spring Break. But, we met a lot of crazy people, and made a ton of great memories. Having taken other Adventure Korea trips - I can vouch for them. They have their act together and deliver on what their trips offer. And as for those people who are opposed to tour group travelling, I say, give it a chance! Especially in a place like Korea where if you don't know the language well, you're pretty much stuck to Seoul. ANYWAY - back to my trip...
We spent the first 2 and a half days at High One ski resort in Gangwando. Our condo was at the base of the resort and was all around fabulous! Really fancy ski lodge rooms, a television that got plenty of English channels (including BBCnews and CNN!) and a nice view of the mountain. Of course there was one small detail that was fudged by our tour guide: by 4 people sleeping to a room ... he meant 10 people sleeping to a "two bedroom" condo. Only one of which had beds, there was one couch, one room with Korean sleeping mats, and the floor of the living room to sleep on other than that. Which, under most circumstances wouldn't be all bad. But unfortunately, some of our "roommates" were the type to stay up drinking ALL night - and some of us on the trip aimed as getting out to ski by 9 am when the lifts opened. That might have been the worst night's sleep I ever had in Korea. But all in all it wasn't too bad, and once our guide got to the resort to pass out our lift tickets by eleven the next morning, I was finally on the slopes, and happy! High One was definitely the smallest resort I've been to, and I have to say that I don't think I qualify as an expert skiier anywhere but Korea, but the runs weren't crowded at the top, and the snow was nice quality. Koreans ski much different than we do in America. Most of them don't start till late afternoon and then opt to night ski. The lifts are open all day and all night (most places at home take a break before night skiing, or only run one lift at night) and you buy your ticket for a set number of hours. Also, the lift ticket is actually a plastic card you keep in your pocket and swipe at the gates. Then -for the cherry on top- instead of snow on the ground at loading area of the lift, they have a conveyor belt! You don't push yourself up to the loading point.. you just stand, and wait for the chair to catch you. Also, they are very strict about lowering the safety bar, and snowboarders generally take off both bindings and just carry their board to the to of the run. STRANGE! It was nice skiing though. And it was a very clear day, so it was prety scenery on the way down. If I could only ski one day this season, it was a good one!
The next 2 and a half days, as I said, were spent in a city called Sokcho, shooting of fireworks at the beach and going to Seoraksan. Sokcho - while in South Korea (obviously), is actually above the 38th parallel ... so that's cool. Of course, Seoraksan definitely didn't disappoint. As you enter the park you are greeted by a sprawling valley surrounded by sheer mountain peeks. If you can endure the pungent smell of beondegi and the souvenir hawkers, you can walk just past the main base area and see the giant bronze statue of Buddha. There are two (maybe more?) Buddhist temples in the park. From what I learned, there was a monk who visited Seoraksan years and years ago on a personal retreat, and he found it so peaceful that he decided to stay. I can't say I blame him, the scenery was beautiful. I imagine it's stunning in the spring when all of the snow melts and the rivers, streams and waterfalls fill up again. We hiked to Ulsanbawi - one of the most famous peaks in Seoraksan. Unfortunately, Mullen and I aren't exactly skilled mountain climbers, and weren't up to climbing 800 stairs to the top. Especially when the stairs were covered in ice. We got within .8km to the top and called it quits, so that we could have time to play in the snow and meander down the trail, before heading back to our tour bus. It worked out great because the sun came out just as we got to the bottom, so we were able to take some really gorgeous pictures of the peaks, and of the bronze Buddha. Not to mention we had enough time to pose with the odd ice sculptures near the souvenir shops. That is, if we were willing to fight for a chance to take our picture! None of the Koreans wanted to wait in line ... everyone was just slipping and sliding theif way into each other's pictures! The only let down was that everyone was wet and cold after our hike - so we were all pretty miserable at dinner - where there was no heat. We could see our breath at the dinner table - no joke. And then on the bus the heat seemed to only be working in the back of the bus. So half of us froze while the other half baked... no good.
Skiing in Korea!
Conveyor Belt Lift Loading... So Bizarre.
View of the Casino and the Base from our ResortSo they had all of these strange glowing inflatable things... After we saw them all over Seoul for Buddha's birthday we realized that they were just Korean paper lanterns. Still, there were some strange ones. Here's a few of the best.
You're ET? NO WAY! I'm ET!
Andrea's messing with the giant Ajushi. What else is new?
1985 - Kudos to the year of the Ox!
First shot of the East Sea at Sokcho
A famous fresh fish market street in Sokcho - I didn't commit the name to memory, because I really don't eat fish ... This night I had a delicous dinner consisting of sesame lettuce leaves and rice... now I know how Andrea feels.
MMMmmm Breakfast! Soft tofu soup, rice, kimchi, and seaweed. Can't you imaging chowing down on this while watching Batman cartoons on Saturday morning?! I sure can...
Finding our inner outdoorsy-ness at the entrance to Seoraksan National Park.
Bronze Buddha and a Signal Bell at the Temple.
Andrea and I being impressed with Ulsanbawi.
I am meant to climb those stairs? An-i-yo.
Stop motion snowball fight. Much more fun than scaling a mountain!!
I have to say it was one of my favorite things we've done this year. The other people on the trip definitely had different priorities for their weekend off from work, but even if we were out of our element, Andrea and I had a nice time. And it's always nice to get out of Seoul for a weekend every now and again. Which I am about to do again! On Saturday night we head out to Boracay for the week, and I couldn't be more excited! There will be some rain, but hopefully only for part of the day. It's definitely time for a real vacation!!! I don't know if I will have internet access - but if I do, I will post some photos while I am gone. I will try to post some of my photos from Buddha's birthday back in May (I realized I forgot that one too! >_<) But either way -I won't forget to blog about this next trip!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The Good, The Bad, and the Weird
Last week Andrea found out that the CGV in Yongsan shows Korean movies with English subtitles! It would have been nice to have known this eleven months ago, but hey... better late than never! On Sunday we went to go see the latest Korean blockbuster, "The Good, the Bad, and the Weird." (called noomnoomnoom by Koreans) Dubbed The Kimchi Western by a Canadian film festival, it's the story of three bandits in 1930s Manchuria. They are all after a secret map supposed to lead to treasure from the Qing dynasty. It stars Jung Woo Sung, Lee Byung Hun, and Song Kan Ho, three of Korea's most popular actors. Song Kang Ho is to Korean cinema as Morgan Freeman or Samuel L. Jackson is to Hollywood -- he just seems to be in every single movie, ever! He he played the father in The Host, and Tae Goo, or the weird, in The Good The Bad The Weird. He was my favorite part of the film I think.
Overall, I liked the movie. It really is a Korean take on the old fashioned Spaghetti Western movie, albeit with slightly more cinematic credibility. The characters had clear, strong relationships with each other - aided by great performances given by the leads. Their play of each other was both comical and terrifying at times. The action scenes, while sometimes quite far fetched, were awesome and often gruesome. It couldn't be a good western without a few good old fashioned gun fights, could it? And of course a hijacked train robbery - which opens the film - in which all three bandits, Tae Goo, Do Won and Chang Yi are involved. The Japanese official that is carrying the treasure map (which the Japanese army is after so that they can continue to fund the war) is on the train. Tae Goo (the weird) successfully steals the map, but without realizing its value. Chang Yi (the bad) is after the map as a hired thief and assassin with the bloodiest reputation in Manchuria. And Do Won (the good) is after Chang Yi - because he's bad - and the map, because he's still an outlaw after all and needs money as much as the next exiled Korean. After Tae Goo's brother explains what the map is, all three embark on a goose chase to the "buried treasure."
A few other characters are thrown in to keep things complicated, and for sheer comic effect (the granny is the best one in the whole movie!), including a rogue camp of Manchurian warriors (or something - I couldn't tell...) and the Japanese army (who were continually foiled by one of the three leads, leaving them in the dust cursing -- it kind of reminded me of a sort of Indiana Jones/Nazis thing).
Not gonna lie, it wasn't the best movie ever. But I enjoyed it. And it was so great to finally see a Korean movie in theaters! I imagine if we'd known about it sooner, we might have learned a lot more Korean... eh, c'est la vie I suppose.
Monday, July 14, 2008
I'M FAMOUS!
Sort of. ... When Matt was here and we went to a Baseball game an American journalist approached us and asked a few questions about the game. We never did find out why he was actually in Seoul ... but he talked with us, gave his card and then went on his way. And I kind of forgot all about it. Well, while trying to escape hours of boredom and the vicious Korean humidity I was surfing the internet tonight and googled myself (Don't judge, you know you've done it). And after a few hits about some lawyer from Boston, and my facebook page, I saw something about Korean baseball... I clicked and found this:
(find the original article at: http://www.fallight.com/entry/Baseball-Korean-style-more-exciting-for-fans-than-players?category=0)
ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Baseball, Korean style, more exciting for fans than players
Rhythmic cheers, sing-alongs, jumping in the stands all part of the game
By KEN HERMAN
Cox News Service
Published on: 06/27/08
SEOUL, South Korea - The fans on the first-base side of the stadium are on their feet, singing and dancing and generally having more fun than one should have in public with strangers.
It sounds and feels like the bottom of the ninth, tie score, seventh game of the World Series.
But it's not. It's an early-season contest, not much at stake. And this is during a rain delay.
Welcome to baseball, Korean style.
"It's just pure craziness," said Matt Tennyson, a San Diego archeologist visiting his sister here and attending his first Korean Baseball Organization game.
It's the home-standing Doosan Bears and the visiting Lotte Giants on a Thursday night at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, and it's constant, controlled pandemonium.
The excitement greets fans outside the gate, where vendors hawking local delicacies compete with KFC's "Home Run Box" and Burger King's "Happy Together" promotion.
There's a short line leading to a friendly attendant at the ticket window who hands over a ticket. Ten thousand won (about $10) gets you a reserved seat, but there's nothing reserved about the fans in those seats.
Other than the team logo, the only English on the ticket is this year's Bears' team slogan: "2008 Jump! Hustle Doo!"
And doo they ever jump and hustle — the fans, that is.
A half-hour prior to first pitch, the Bears fans, whipped up by their male cheerleader, are well into the action, though there is none on the field.
Same deal in the third-base stands, where the Giants fans are also getting into it as their male cheerleader — sporting a team shirt, white gloves, white pants and white, lace-up knee-high boots and moves that bring to mind late Queen front man Freddy Mercury — exhorts them.
It continues into the game as it becomes clear that the fans are getting far more exercise than the players. In addition to rhythmic cheers, there are songs, including some recognizable tunes that span the spectrum, including "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," "La Cucaracha," "If You're Happy and You Know It," Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" and the rousing strains of "Mary Had a Little Lamb."
In addition to the lone make cheerleader per side, each team has four females who work from their seats and occasionally jump up on the stage with the male.
The difference between Korean cheerleaders and American cheerleaders? Korean cheerleaders actually lead cheers.
Many of the rhythmic cheers include the player names, a task made easier by the fact that every player on both teams (as well as just about everybody in South Korea) has a three-syllable name — save, of course, for the two Americans allowed per team.
Former major leaguer Karim Garcia, a first-year player here and the leading vote-getter in fan balloting for the Korean all-star game, is hailed by Giant fans with a song that repeats Gar-ci-a over and over again.
Also in the Giants' dugout is former major leaguer Jerry Royster, who, as the Giants' skipper, is the first American to manage a Korean team.
"I'm having a blast," Royster said. "I'm having an absolute blast."
Royster loves the enthusiasm and respect in the stands but is trying to get his team to play more aggressively, which is somewhat out of character in Korea.
"The approach that the players have here is quite different than what we are used to in the United States. It's not very aggressive baseball and they are very respectful of each other. That comes into play quite a bit on double plays. They don't break up double plays. And when guys get hit (by a pitch) there is somewhat of an 'I'm sorry' kind of attitude for hitting you," he said.
The Korean league, now with eight teams playing 126-game schedules from March through August, was formed in 1982, long after baseball was brought to the nation by U.S. missionaries in the early 20th century. In 1994, pitcher Chan Ho Park became the first Korean to play in the U.S. major leagues.
On the field, the play is solid and entertaining, but nowhere near as intriguing as what goes on in the stands.
It's four hours of wonderment for Tennyson, his sister Erica and her two American friends, who, like her, teach English here.
"I'm a big fan of the cheerleaders and the guy who actually leads cheers," Tennyson said. "That's a great job. We need that back home."
"They all know every song, every dance move," Erica Tennyson said as fans around her sang and danced.
Could this work back home?
"It would be amazing," said Andrea Mullen, a Greenville, S.C. native. "I would go to more games if this happened."
Asian baseball fans make hyped-up Yankee bleacher fans look like slackers, and ill-mannered slackers at that. There is no booing here. And there is polite applause — led by the cheerleaders even when a hometown player strikes out — for all efforts.
There is no screaming between the fans. When the Giants are up, so are their fans. When the Bears are up, so are their fans. They do not cheer simultaneously.
In addition to their lungs, most fans are equipped with home-made pompoms they fashion out of newspapers, a potentially positive sign for the future of a once-great industry now in decline.
Embedded in the unfettered joy of the cheering is solid commercialism. Doosan is a company — a mega-conglomerate involved in everything from heavy equipment to the KFC and Burger King items sold outside the stadium.
Ditto for Lotte, a Korean-Japanese conglomerate that sponsors the Busan-based Giants. In Korea, the teams are named for their sponsors, not the cities they represent.
Same thing in Japan, which helps explain the world's greatest name for a baseball team — the Nippon Ham Fighters. The Ham Fighters do not fight ham. Nor is it a team of rabbinical students battling the forbidden meat.
The team name is the Fighters, and Nippon Ham, a meat-packing company, is the sponsor.
The sponsorship deals — combined with the organized cheerleading — guarantee that the sponsor names are seen, sung, shouted and chanted for nine innings or more (though no more than 12, the maximum allowed in Korean baseball before a tie is declared).
It's the equivalent of a U.S. baseball team wearing uniforms with General Motors emblazoned across the chest or fans repeatedly chanting "Bed, Bath and Beyond."
On this night at Jamsil, the corporate names of Doosan and Lotte filled the air for four hours. The excitement continued until the final out as fans of the visiting Giants held up lighters, much as concert-goers do when they don't want the show to end.
But end it must, and the Bears — fueled by a six-run fifth inning — prevail by a 9-4 score that sends the fans out the gates and to the Korean form of tailgating, post-game food and drink on mats outside the stadium as the excitement continues.
Jump! Hustle doo!
Too bad he writes all about Matt! Oh well, I guess Andrea and I didn't say what he wanted to hear. ..,and for the record, I DEFINITELY prefer MLB to Korean baseball. It's fun to go here - but seriously - it's not *baseball* ... it's just not.
(find the original article at: http://www.fallight.com/entry/Baseball-Korean-style-more-exciting-for-fans-than-players?category=0)
ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Baseball, Korean style, more exciting for fans than players
Rhythmic cheers, sing-alongs, jumping in the stands all part of the game
By KEN HERMAN
Cox News Service
Published on: 06/27/08
SEOUL, South Korea - The fans on the first-base side of the stadium are on their feet, singing and dancing and generally having more fun than one should have in public with strangers.
It sounds and feels like the bottom of the ninth, tie score, seventh game of the World Series.
But it's not. It's an early-season contest, not much at stake. And this is during a rain delay.
Welcome to baseball, Korean style.
"It's just pure craziness," said Matt Tennyson, a San Diego archeologist visiting his sister here and attending his first Korean Baseball Organization game.
It's the home-standing Doosan Bears and the visiting Lotte Giants on a Thursday night at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, and it's constant, controlled pandemonium.
The excitement greets fans outside the gate, where vendors hawking local delicacies compete with KFC's "Home Run Box" and Burger King's "Happy Together" promotion.
There's a short line leading to a friendly attendant at the ticket window who hands over a ticket. Ten thousand won (about $10) gets you a reserved seat, but there's nothing reserved about the fans in those seats.
Other than the team logo, the only English on the ticket is this year's Bears' team slogan: "2008 Jump! Hustle Doo!"
And doo they ever jump and hustle — the fans, that is.
A half-hour prior to first pitch, the Bears fans, whipped up by their male cheerleader, are well into the action, though there is none on the field.
Same deal in the third-base stands, where the Giants fans are also getting into it as their male cheerleader — sporting a team shirt, white gloves, white pants and white, lace-up knee-high boots and moves that bring to mind late Queen front man Freddy Mercury — exhorts them.
It continues into the game as it becomes clear that the fans are getting far more exercise than the players. In addition to rhythmic cheers, there are songs, including some recognizable tunes that span the spectrum, including "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," "La Cucaracha," "If You're Happy and You Know It," Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" and the rousing strains of "Mary Had a Little Lamb."
In addition to the lone make cheerleader per side, each team has four females who work from their seats and occasionally jump up on the stage with the male.
The difference between Korean cheerleaders and American cheerleaders? Korean cheerleaders actually lead cheers.
Many of the rhythmic cheers include the player names, a task made easier by the fact that every player on both teams (as well as just about everybody in South Korea) has a three-syllable name — save, of course, for the two Americans allowed per team.
Former major leaguer Karim Garcia, a first-year player here and the leading vote-getter in fan balloting for the Korean all-star game, is hailed by Giant fans with a song that repeats Gar-ci-a over and over again.
Also in the Giants' dugout is former major leaguer Jerry Royster, who, as the Giants' skipper, is the first American to manage a Korean team.
"I'm having a blast," Royster said. "I'm having an absolute blast."
Royster loves the enthusiasm and respect in the stands but is trying to get his team to play more aggressively, which is somewhat out of character in Korea.
"The approach that the players have here is quite different than what we are used to in the United States. It's not very aggressive baseball and they are very respectful of each other. That comes into play quite a bit on double plays. They don't break up double plays. And when guys get hit (by a pitch) there is somewhat of an 'I'm sorry' kind of attitude for hitting you," he said.
The Korean league, now with eight teams playing 126-game schedules from March through August, was formed in 1982, long after baseball was brought to the nation by U.S. missionaries in the early 20th century. In 1994, pitcher Chan Ho Park became the first Korean to play in the U.S. major leagues.
On the field, the play is solid and entertaining, but nowhere near as intriguing as what goes on in the stands.
It's four hours of wonderment for Tennyson, his sister Erica and her two American friends, who, like her, teach English here.
"I'm a big fan of the cheerleaders and the guy who actually leads cheers," Tennyson said. "That's a great job. We need that back home."
"They all know every song, every dance move," Erica Tennyson said as fans around her sang and danced.
Could this work back home?
"It would be amazing," said Andrea Mullen, a Greenville, S.C. native. "I would go to more games if this happened."
Asian baseball fans make hyped-up Yankee bleacher fans look like slackers, and ill-mannered slackers at that. There is no booing here. And there is polite applause — led by the cheerleaders even when a hometown player strikes out — for all efforts.
There is no screaming between the fans. When the Giants are up, so are their fans. When the Bears are up, so are their fans. They do not cheer simultaneously.
In addition to their lungs, most fans are equipped with home-made pompoms they fashion out of newspapers, a potentially positive sign for the future of a once-great industry now in decline.
Embedded in the unfettered joy of the cheering is solid commercialism. Doosan is a company — a mega-conglomerate involved in everything from heavy equipment to the KFC and Burger King items sold outside the stadium.
Ditto for Lotte, a Korean-Japanese conglomerate that sponsors the Busan-based Giants. In Korea, the teams are named for their sponsors, not the cities they represent.
Same thing in Japan, which helps explain the world's greatest name for a baseball team — the Nippon Ham Fighters. The Ham Fighters do not fight ham. Nor is it a team of rabbinical students battling the forbidden meat.
The team name is the Fighters, and Nippon Ham, a meat-packing company, is the sponsor.
The sponsorship deals — combined with the organized cheerleading — guarantee that the sponsor names are seen, sung, shouted and chanted for nine innings or more (though no more than 12, the maximum allowed in Korean baseball before a tie is declared).
It's the equivalent of a U.S. baseball team wearing uniforms with General Motors emblazoned across the chest or fans repeatedly chanting "Bed, Bath and Beyond."
On this night at Jamsil, the corporate names of Doosan and Lotte filled the air for four hours. The excitement continued until the final out as fans of the visiting Giants held up lighters, much as concert-goers do when they don't want the show to end.
But end it must, and the Bears — fueled by a six-run fifth inning — prevail by a 9-4 score that sends the fans out the gates and to the Korean form of tailgating, post-game food and drink on mats outside the stadium as the excitement continues.
Jump! Hustle doo!
Too bad he writes all about Matt! Oh well, I guess Andrea and I didn't say what he wanted to hear. ..,and for the record, I DEFINITELY prefer MLB to Korean baseball. It's fun to go here - but seriously - it's not *baseball* ... it's just not.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Shawshank Redemption. In a minute or so...
This is one of the best things I have ever seen! Haha. I posted it on my other blog, but I thought I would post it here too because I want EVERYONE to see it! (Note: made by Jib Jab, not me)
In other news, my parents are the most amazing people ever and have found a way for me to go to Club 33 at Tokyo Disney with Andrea on my birthday! They took my whole family to the one at Disneyland (the *Original* ^-^) for my 21st birthday and it was unbelievable. I never dreamed that I would get to go again, let alone in Tokyo! Just another one of many exciting surprises in life that I'm still getting accustomed to. What a ride... !
In other news, my parents are the most amazing people ever and have found a way for me to go to Club 33 at Tokyo Disney with Andrea on my birthday! They took my whole family to the one at Disneyland (the *Original* ^-^) for my 21st birthday and it was unbelievable. I never dreamed that I would get to go again, let alone in Tokyo! Just another one of many exciting surprises in life that I'm still getting accustomed to. What a ride... !
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Lessons in Hangeul
So it's really no secret. I don't speak Korean. A lot of people, myself included, come to Korea with the assumption that simply living abroad for a year would result in learning the local language. If only cultural immersion were that easy. If there's one thing I have learned in my 10+ plus months spent here in Korea, it's that the expat life is not for the casual adventurer. Tackling the land of SK demands a confident, open-minded, patient person. And learning Korean is no different... plus, so many people in this country speak English that unless you are seriously committed to it, it's really difficult to learn. However, I have noticed that in our warped ways of communicating with each other (read as: scathing insults, fantastical references to all forms of universal pop culture and dry sarcasm) my friends and I have picked up many Hangeul (Korean for 'Korean') terms and mannerisms. We often like to chat about which ones have fixed themselves permanently into our vocabulary and which ones we'll lose after leaving in a few months. I thought I might make a list for you all, so you won't be confused by all of my awesome Korean-ness (right Mullen?) when I get back to America, or wherever the next place you encounter me is. I suppose you can consider this an urban dictionary of sorts for my mad Konglish skills.
1. The mini-head bow: When in doubt ... bow. Okay so this is really the only mannerism I have picked up - the rest of the list is words.... but really, this one is basically permanent. There's no hope for any ESL teacher in Korea. Whether you're bidding "annyong" to your local Family Mart clerk, thanking a cab driver, or apologizing for being bumped into on the subway (yes, you read that right) the mini-head bow is an enduring outward symbol of politeness. It doesn't take long for expats to learn the mini-head bow; simply hunch your shoulders and quickly (it's got to be quick, or else it gets awkward) bow your head -similar to a chicken, or pigeon- and try to hide your face. If you get a crick in your neck, you're on your way!
2. Wheygook/Migook/Youngook/____gook (way-gook/me-gook): n. (or sometimes an adj., hey, why not?!) a white foreigner, or more specifically, an American or Enlishman, or *insert nationality here* ... Completely non-p.c. to say anywhere but Korea, the ____-gooks have a good time. As in, I thought I saw you out in Kangnam last night! But, it was just another person of wheygook persuasion.
3. Ne (naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay): interj. yes. As far as I know Korean is the only language where the word 'Yes' sound like 'no' ... it also covers 'You're welcome' and you have to elongate the e-sound for close to 18 minutes to really sound Korean. As in, Did you hear what Tina just said to Cindy? / Ne! It was nearly a Korean teacher catfight.
4. Aniyo (on-knee-o): interj. no. If your Konglish isn't up to par and the Korean you're talking to doesn't get it... holding your arms in a big X in front of you never fails. (Actually, I lied before! This is a mannerism I don't think I will EVER be able to break! lol) Anni works for no, too (No, not Darth Vadar's boyhood name). As in, Oooh. Preettty lady, come to my home/ ANIYO! ... also, Do you like my new Korean sunglasses? / Uhm, sorry, that one gets the big aniyo.
5. Kamsamnida (kgam-sahm-knee-da): .. ?.. thank you. It's an important one to learn. Koreans thank each other a lot. And since their politeness is reflected in their speech, about every other word you'll hear in public ends in some sort of "mnida" sound. It's imperative you learn to catch the thank yous, but if you can't hear the difference just watch for the mini-head bow you've already mastered, since they're usually paired together. Also, bonus points if you can say it with the same sing-song voice as a Korean and not sound like a cartoon character. As in, Hey I brought you a 6,000 won a watered down drink from Coffee Bean. / Ooooh. Kamsamnida. :)
6. Annyonghi Kaseyo (on-yong-khe-caw-say-o): interj. Goodbye. While there are five full syllables in an/nyong/ha/se/yo you'll be lucky if you catch 3... but if you listen for "a-ajksd;hfaehfakdsjf;adsh;fas-yo!" you should be just fine! As in, Annyonghi kaseyo, thanks for coming. No, seriously, please leave.
7. Annyonghi Kyeseyo (on-yong-khe-key-ay-say-o): interj. Goodbye. Ooooooh... tricky. This is the one you say if you're leaving. #3 is what you say if your being left.... As in, Annyonghi kyesayo, thanks for the ride.
8. Annyong Hasseyo (on-yong-hah-say-o): interj. Hello, Good Morning, Good Evening, etc etc. Yes it sounds almost exactly the same. But luckily just saying 'Annyong' covers them all! But only with friends - otherwise it's rude. (Wouldn't want to offend the ajjushi passed out drunk in your neighborhood park!) As in, are you kidding? You're still reading this? Go to the next one!!
9. Jusseyo (juice-say-o): n./v./adj./the million dollar word!!! err... billion won word? Either way - this one basically means 'please' ... but it can also mean "Bring me _____ please" or "Take me to ______ please" More or less, this is the Konglish-speaker's way to order food or get around in a cab. As in, Yogiyo! Mul juseyo! (Hey! Water please!) ... which sounds rude, but not in Korea!
10. Chingu (cheen-goo): n. friend. As in, Hey chingus! What's happening!?
Essential to most general weygook gatherings ... We'd all be lost in Korea without our chingu-chingus!
1. The mini-head bow: When in doubt ... bow. Okay so this is really the only mannerism I have picked up - the rest of the list is words.... but really, this one is basically permanent. There's no hope for any ESL teacher in Korea. Whether you're bidding "annyong" to your local Family Mart clerk, thanking a cab driver, or apologizing for being bumped into on the subway (yes, you read that right) the mini-head bow is an enduring outward symbol of politeness. It doesn't take long for expats to learn the mini-head bow; simply hunch your shoulders and quickly (it's got to be quick, or else it gets awkward) bow your head -similar to a chicken, or pigeon- and try to hide your face. If you get a crick in your neck, you're on your way!
2. Wheygook/Migook/Youngook/____gook (way-gook/me-gook): n. (or sometimes an adj., hey, why not?!) a white foreigner, or more specifically, an American or Enlishman, or *insert nationality here* ... Completely non-p.c. to say anywhere but Korea, the ____-gooks have a good time. As in, I thought I saw you out in Kangnam last night! But, it was just another person of wheygook persuasion.
3. Ne (naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay): interj. yes. As far as I know Korean is the only language where the word 'Yes' sound like 'no' ... it also covers 'You're welcome' and you have to elongate the e-sound for close to 18 minutes to really sound Korean. As in, Did you hear what Tina just said to Cindy? / Ne! It was nearly a Korean teacher catfight.
4. Aniyo (on-knee-o): interj. no. If your Konglish isn't up to par and the Korean you're talking to doesn't get it... holding your arms in a big X in front of you never fails. (Actually, I lied before! This is a mannerism I don't think I will EVER be able to break! lol) Anni works for no, too (No, not Darth Vadar's boyhood name). As in, Oooh. Preettty lady, come to my home/ ANIYO! ... also, Do you like my new Korean sunglasses? / Uhm, sorry, that one gets the big aniyo.
5. Kamsamnida (kgam-sahm-knee-da): .. ?.. thank you. It's an important one to learn. Koreans thank each other a lot. And since their politeness is reflected in their speech, about every other word you'll hear in public ends in some sort of "mnida" sound. It's imperative you learn to catch the thank yous, but if you can't hear the difference just watch for the mini-head bow you've already mastered, since they're usually paired together. Also, bonus points if you can say it with the same sing-song voice as a Korean and not sound like a cartoon character. As in, Hey I brought you a 6,000 won a watered down drink from Coffee Bean. / Ooooh. Kamsamnida. :)
6. Annyonghi Kaseyo (on-yong-khe-caw-say-o): interj. Goodbye. While there are five full syllables in an/nyong/ha/se/yo you'll be lucky if you catch 3... but if you listen for "a-ajksd;hfaehfakdsjf;adsh;fas-yo!" you should be just fine! As in, Annyonghi kaseyo, thanks for coming. No, seriously, please leave.
7. Annyonghi Kyeseyo (on-yong-khe-key-ay-say-o): interj. Goodbye. Ooooooh... tricky. This is the one you say if you're leaving. #3 is what you say if your being left.... As in, Annyonghi kyesayo, thanks for the ride.
8. Annyong Hasseyo (on-yong-hah-say-o): interj. Hello, Good Morning, Good Evening, etc etc. Yes it sounds almost exactly the same. But luckily just saying 'Annyong' covers them all! But only with friends - otherwise it's rude. (Wouldn't want to offend the ajjushi passed out drunk in your neighborhood park!) As in, are you kidding? You're still reading this? Go to the next one!!
9. Jusseyo (juice-say-o): n./v./adj./the million dollar word!!! err... billion won word? Either way - this one basically means 'please' ... but it can also mean "Bring me _____ please" or "Take me to ______ please" More or less, this is the Konglish-speaker's way to order food or get around in a cab. As in, Yogiyo! Mul juseyo! (Hey! Water please!) ... which sounds rude, but not in Korea!
10. Chingu (cheen-goo): n. friend. As in, Hey chingus! What's happening!?
Essential to most general weygook gatherings ... We'd all be lost in Korea without our chingu-chingus!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Fourth of July!
I am a big sucker for traditions, and consequently, a big fan of holidays. I love getting together with friends and celebrating - anything. And if it involves any sort of pomp and circumstance, all the better. I've had an irrational love for Fourth of July since a young age. I'm not sure why, but I can always remember getting really excited for it each year. I used to stand out on my parent's deck wearing a paper Uncle Sam hat and sing patriotic songs to people as they walked to beach. I don't know why, exactly, but I did!
Anyway... Needless to say spending the Fourth abroad was never something I imagined. It's strange not to be home, but I was determined to celebrate in style anyway. Luckily, a coworker of mine goes to Taekwondo with a sergeant from Alabama who was able to take us on the Army base on Friday! First of all, being on post was a strange experience anyway -- seriously, it felt like America, we might as well have been in Virginia somewhere. There were stop signs! And what's more, they were OBEYED! It was surreal. We found where there was music and food and enjoyed the night. There was an army band that played during the fireworks show, but we couldn't really hear them because there were squealing Korean children next to us drowning them out. (Oh well!) The fireworks show was literally right over our head! So fun. :) The whole night was really wonderful, and I am very grateful to have been on base for Independence day. It wasn't just like home, but we did get a taste of America on the Fourth, and even were given US dollars as change! So strang-ee.
Here's my video/slide show of the fireworks. You can sort of hear the music over the screaming Korean children. I mean, it's no A Capitol Fourth! hosted by Jimmy Smits, but hey... Enjoy!
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