counting down.... four more weeks!0001_11
Originally uploaded by migratorynature.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
ROCK CLIMBING IN RALEIGH
After we left Koh Lanta, we took a longtail boat to a small cove called Raleigh for two days. Raleigh is world famous for it's spectacular red rock and limestone cliffs. The sunset view from our kayaks made the giant cliffs burn like fire as they rose up out of the sea. The waters surrounding the cliffs ignited into a translucent lava pit. It was the most intoxicating and vibrant sunset we've witnessed to date.
We also tried our luck at rock climbing. As you might imagine, Travis made a good show using his natural tree climbing skills. He climbed 100 feet up a sheer vertical limestone wall on his first day! Katie liked climbing rocks too, but prefered to stay a little closer to the ground. Check out the pics below...
We also tried our luck at rock climbing. As you might imagine, Travis made a good show using his natural tree climbing skills. He climbed 100 feet up a sheer vertical limestone wall on his first day! Katie liked climbing rocks too, but prefered to stay a little closer to the ground. Check out the pics below...
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
CHRISTMAS ON KOH LANTA
Happy Holidays from the warm tropical island of Koh Lanta!
Thanks to Travis's hard work while we were home in Seattle, we're now spending 10 fabulous days and nights on Koh Lanta: a small island located 14 hours south of Bankok, near Phuket (see link for map above). We have been hiking in the jungle, spelunking in caves filled with bats, and of course, sampling a variety of fresh oceanic fare.
As you might have suspected, we are also doing lots of scuba diving. Koh Lanta is near some world class dive sites. We've already seen pufferfish, poisenous sea snakes, giant morray eels, gorgeous red and purple coral, and a 12 ft. manta sting ray! We're both feeling right at home on the open Andaman Sea... it must be that Norgwegian blood thriving in us.
Cheers to you and yours during this holiday season. If you happen to be spending Christmas in a place where the weather is cold, we are sending you warm pina colada kisses on the breeze from the other side of the world.
Thanks to Travis's hard work while we were home in Seattle, we're now spending 10 fabulous days and nights on Koh Lanta: a small island located 14 hours south of Bankok, near Phuket (see link for map above). We have been hiking in the jungle, spelunking in caves filled with bats, and of course, sampling a variety of fresh oceanic fare.
As you might have suspected, we are also doing lots of scuba diving. Koh Lanta is near some world class dive sites. We've already seen pufferfish, poisenous sea snakes, giant morray eels, gorgeous red and purple coral, and a 12 ft. manta sting ray! We're both feeling right at home on the open Andaman Sea... it must be that Norgwegian blood thriving in us.
Cheers to you and yours during this holiday season. If you happen to be spending Christmas in a place where the weather is cold, we are sending you warm pina colada kisses on the breeze from the other side of the world.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
WE DREAMT WE VISITED SEATTLE
Have you ever had a dream that seemed to go on and on? The kind of dream that sticks with you when you wake up in the morning, where you can remember every little detail? This was our experience of going back home for two months.
Our trip home was quite successful. Katie finished her Master's in Education degree at Antioch University. Travis climbed lots of trees and was given a gallery offer for some of his photographs (he's already sold a print!). Katie's sister delivered a gorgeous baby girl, named Olivia Mariam Bateman. We shared Thanks-Giving dinner with our family and friends. Finally, we said our goodbyes from the airport last week.
And then we woke up... all of a sudden we were back in Thailand again. Admittedly, we both missed Thailand very much while we were home. Thai food (Mmm... mangoes and sticky rice), Thai tropical weather, hearing the national anthem playing over loud speakers everyday at 8am and 6pm. Ahh, it's good to be back.
More details on Katie's new school and our new home in Bangkok coming soon...
Our trip home was quite successful. Katie finished her Master's in Education degree at Antioch University. Travis climbed lots of trees and was given a gallery offer for some of his photographs (he's already sold a print!). Katie's sister delivered a gorgeous baby girl, named Olivia Mariam Bateman. We shared Thanks-Giving dinner with our family and friends. Finally, we said our goodbyes from the airport last week.
And then we woke up... all of a sudden we were back in Thailand again. Admittedly, we both missed Thailand very much while we were home. Thai food (Mmm... mangoes and sticky rice), Thai tropical weather, hearing the national anthem playing over loud speakers everyday at 8am and 6pm. Ahh, it's good to be back.
More details on Katie's new school and our new home in Bangkok coming soon...
Monday, December 10, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
A PICTURE IS WORTH 1000 WORDS
As we start to pack our bags for home, we realize how far we've come in the last seven months of travelling. It is said that travel changes a person. Hopefully this blog entry gives you a tantalizing taste of a few images that Asia has forever imprinted on our hearts. Below is a small sampling of why we love it here so much... Enjoy.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Friday, September 7, 2007
TRAVIS GOES TO MALAYSIA
On a spontaneous weekend trip to visit an old traveling buddy, Travis hopped a small plane for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Upon arrival to the mostly Muslim city, he happened upon a Hindu parade which had taken over the streets to celebrate the Gods: Kali and Shiva. Men were dancing with hooks wedged into the skin of their backs. Other men had long metal poles piercing their cheek flesh and dripping blood. Women danced around with their eyes rolled back in their head and their tongues hanging out. One man in his 60’s, who was diapered like a baby, sucked on his pacifier and waved to all the street people from his seat on the parade float. We’re not sure how Travis always finds himself in a photographer’s paradise weekend after weekend. But we do know that he was able to capture some incredible images of possessed Hindus that will make your skin crawl.
Check out these pics…
Check out these pics…
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
WEEKEND ADVENTURES IN AYUTTHAYA
Last weekend we decided to go on a little adventure. Katie went to a Gwen Stefani concert in Bangkok with some teacher friends of hers. The Lady’s Night Out came complete with lots of loud screaming for the amazingly sculpted Gwen. But the best part was when Katie spotted her favorite Thai hip-hop band: Thaitanium, who were also at the concert to enjoy the amazingly sculpted Gwen.
While Katie was singing the "Bananas Song" with her ladies, Travis was on his own adventure. Ayutthaya, the historical capital of Siam, is a photographers’ paradise. Travis spent days walking through one thousand year old ruins built by the ancestors of the Thais we live and work with today. Travis saw the courtyards where Burmese soldiers invaded, and cut off the heads of all the Buddha statues. He saw one thousand year old Wats (Buddhist temples) and stupas. Ayutthaya really is an abandoned kingdom.
Whether singing the "Bananas Song" or watching sunrise over a city in ruins, we both felt like we had equally religious experiences on our adventures this weekend. Now we’re back home for the countdown of days until the end of the school semester. Whoop! Whoop!
While Katie was singing the "Bananas Song" with her ladies, Travis was on his own adventure. Ayutthaya, the historical capital of Siam, is a photographers’ paradise. Travis spent days walking through one thousand year old ruins built by the ancestors of the Thais we live and work with today. Travis saw the courtyards where Burmese soldiers invaded, and cut off the heads of all the Buddha statues. He saw one thousand year old Wats (Buddhist temples) and stupas. Ayutthaya really is an abandoned kingdom.
Whether singing the "Bananas Song" or watching sunrise over a city in ruins, we both felt like we had equally religious experiences on our adventures this weekend. Now we’re back home for the countdown of days until the end of the school semester. Whoop! Whoop!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
WE'RE COMING HOME!
As sad as we will be to leave Northeast Thailand, and our students at Patanadek, we are excited to be coming home to see you fine folks in the Pacific Northwest once again. The school semester ends in five weeks here. We fly into Seattle on October 1st.
Katie is very excited to be home for the birth of her sister's first born. She can't wait to become an auntie. "We're gonna have a niece, people!" Also, Katie has one quarter left at Antioch University, and will be graduating with her M.A.Ed in December. Travis is stoked to show off his book of photography from our travels in Asia. His talent shines through in his beautiful pictures.
It's going to have to be a Christmas at Thanksgiving this year, because our return flight to Bangkok leaves on December 3rd. Just two short months at home, and we'll be off and running again. On the horizon lies more adventures in South Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and China.
Katie is very excited to be home for the birth of her sister's first born. She can't wait to become an auntie. "We're gonna have a niece, people!" Also, Katie has one quarter left at Antioch University, and will be graduating with her M.A.Ed in December. Travis is stoked to show off his book of photography from our travels in Asia. His talent shines through in his beautiful pictures.
It's going to have to be a Christmas at Thanksgiving this year, because our return flight to Bangkok leaves on December 3rd. Just two short months at home, and we'll be off and running again. On the horizon lies more adventures in South Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and China.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
THESPIANS "HAM"IN IT UP
This week on Travis and Katie's Adventures in Asia...
We performed the story of the "Three Little Pigs" for our kindergarten students. Our star-studded extravaganza featured Katie as the pig who built the house made of straw, only it was really made of banana leaves because let's face it, this is Asia. And Travis played the most furocious Big Bad Wolf in the history of Big Bad Wolves. He was a natural on the stage and just loved scarying the crap out of all his students. Enough ego boosting, on with the show...
We open our scene on the playground at the school where we teach in Thailand. Kindergarteners are gathered around for the show, eagerly waiting to see their teachers dress up and act a fool. Katie emerges as a baby pig, sucking on a bottle and playing the tambourine. The other pigs arrive and they all set out to build their houses. Suddenly, the Big Bad Wolf jumps out from behind a tree! He huffs and puffs... and adds in a few samurai kicks and grabs his belly with hunger. He blows down two houses but all three pigs are safe inside the brick house, which is actually made out of legos. The three little pigs live happily ever after and the poor Wolf is left to starve another day. Thus ends the comedy of our hammin' it up at Patanadek School.
Don't miss next week's episode: Travis and Katie decide where they will go after the semester ends in Septemeber. Stay tuned...
We performed the story of the "Three Little Pigs" for our kindergarten students. Our star-studded extravaganza featured Katie as the pig who built the house made of straw, only it was really made of banana leaves because let's face it, this is Asia. And Travis played the most furocious Big Bad Wolf in the history of Big Bad Wolves. He was a natural on the stage and just loved scarying the crap out of all his students. Enough ego boosting, on with the show...
We open our scene on the playground at the school where we teach in Thailand. Kindergarteners are gathered around for the show, eagerly waiting to see their teachers dress up and act a fool. Katie emerges as a baby pig, sucking on a bottle and playing the tambourine. The other pigs arrive and they all set out to build their houses. Suddenly, the Big Bad Wolf jumps out from behind a tree! He huffs and puffs... and adds in a few samurai kicks and grabs his belly with hunger. He blows down two houses but all three pigs are safe inside the brick house, which is actually made out of legos. The three little pigs live happily ever after and the poor Wolf is left to starve another day. Thus ends the comedy of our hammin' it up at Patanadek School.
Don't miss next week's episode: Travis and Katie decide where they will go after the semester ends in Septemeber. Stay tuned...
Monday, August 6, 2007
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
SCUBA DIVING IN KOH TAO
Patchy grey cumulus hanging sticky in between the open blue sky and the rising sun. Today we fondly write to you from the beautiful island of Koh Tao. Turtle Island, as it's called in English, is a small spec on the archipelagic reef of the Gulf of Thailand. So small in fact that most of the locals at our school have never heard of it. The island itself looks like a short stack of rock-pancakes jutting out of the ocean. Jungles have taken over most of the island, except for a small enclave of bungalows and dive shops huddled together at the shoreline.
Not sure what was more adventurous, the dives themselves or what we had to do to get ourselves to Koh Tao. We rode the train for an entire day with one stopover in Bangkok to grab some dinner before getting on an all night train again. Then we arrived at the ocean at 5am and hopped a boat that sailed for three hours out to the remote island from which we write to you now. We will have to reverse the trip to get back home... all for a few days of diving.
We've been diving four times already, and we both agree that it's ranked high on our list of top five favorite things to do in this lifetime. Diving is actually one of the reasons we came to Thailand in the first place. Of the many urchins and otherworldly creatures we've seen on the bottom of the beautiful briny sea, especially noteworthy are the black-tipped reef sharks, green-spotted sting rays, morray eels and giant pufferfish. Travis got certified for deep water diving, which means he can finally visit Katie at 90-140 feet below the surface. On his first dive to the bottom, a 6 foot reef shark glided by within just a few feet of his face mask. We were awestruck yet again, by the ethereal experience of submersing in Mama Gaia's giant aquarium.
Sailing back to the island from one of our dives, we realized that we're the first generation from our entire lineage to be able to take a good look at what lurks a hundred feet under. Not even our Norwegian Viking forefathers did that! As you can see in the photo below, we are flying high from the adventure.
Not sure what was more adventurous, the dives themselves or what we had to do to get ourselves to Koh Tao. We rode the train for an entire day with one stopover in Bangkok to grab some dinner before getting on an all night train again. Then we arrived at the ocean at 5am and hopped a boat that sailed for three hours out to the remote island from which we write to you now. We will have to reverse the trip to get back home... all for a few days of diving.
We've been diving four times already, and we both agree that it's ranked high on our list of top five favorite things to do in this lifetime. Diving is actually one of the reasons we came to Thailand in the first place. Of the many urchins and otherworldly creatures we've seen on the bottom of the beautiful briny sea, especially noteworthy are the black-tipped reef sharks, green-spotted sting rays, morray eels and giant pufferfish. Travis got certified for deep water diving, which means he can finally visit Katie at 90-140 feet below the surface. On his first dive to the bottom, a 6 foot reef shark glided by within just a few feet of his face mask. We were awestruck yet again, by the ethereal experience of submersing in Mama Gaia's giant aquarium.
Sailing back to the island from one of our dives, we realized that we're the first generation from our entire lineage to be able to take a good look at what lurks a hundred feet under. Not even our Norwegian Viking forefathers did that! As you can see in the photo below, we are flying high from the adventure.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Monday, July 9, 2007
IN THIS WORLD, a poem
In this world most people wake up before sunrise.
In this world we eat rice everyday.
In this world there is no God to pray to, only spiritual precepts to adhere to.
In this world the teachers treat their students as they would care for their own children.
In this world the leaves on the trees can grow bigger than people.
In this world everybody has a fan in the house.
In this world it is said that when dogs bark, it’s because they are seeing ghosts.
In this world a good dinner costs two dollars.
In this world the market, restaurants, laundry, school, drug store & our house are all within walking distance.
In this world all the teachers live in a community around the school.
In this world the weather is sunny & humid everyday.
In this world we do our shopping at the outdoor market, where the fish are so fresh they often jump off the table and flop around on the sidewalk.
In this world there is always enough time for exercise.
In this world our days can stretch out as far and as long as the vast green horizon that borders the city.
In this world one can go a whole lifetime without ever seeing the ocean.
In this world we have to learn to share our home with the ants, cockroaches, and geckos. There’s really no choice in the matter.
In this world there are people who wade through our trash and sell our recyclables as a respectable profession.
In this world we can grow a vegetable garden twelve months a year.
In this world we live in a kingdom known as the land of smiles & the king is revered by all.
In this world death is celebrated as just another part of the circle of life.
In this world we can still hear birds singing in the morning, even in the heart of the city.
In this world everyone gets their relaxing massage done in the same room together.
In this world these massages lasts two hours and costs five dollars per person.
In this world monks who’ve renounced their material possessions must resort to begging for food everyday, and are seen as the top of the social hierarchy: society’s elite.
In this world children bathe together unashamedly.
In this world we squat to use the toilet and spray down with water instead of using TP.
In this world eight year olds drive motorcycles to and from school, just like everyone else.
In this world there are no retirement homes because families live together and take care of each other.
In this world we shoot homemade rockets into the sky as a prayer for the coming rains.
In this world some mosquitoes are deadly.
In this world the most popular band is a group of men that dress up like cowboys and Indians, and play country western music.
In this world fresh tropical fruit is always in season.
In this world we eat rice everyday.
In this world there is no God to pray to, only spiritual precepts to adhere to.
In this world the teachers treat their students as they would care for their own children.
In this world the leaves on the trees can grow bigger than people.
In this world everybody has a fan in the house.
In this world it is said that when dogs bark, it’s because they are seeing ghosts.
In this world a good dinner costs two dollars.
In this world the market, restaurants, laundry, school, drug store & our house are all within walking distance.
In this world all the teachers live in a community around the school.
In this world the weather is sunny & humid everyday.
In this world we do our shopping at the outdoor market, where the fish are so fresh they often jump off the table and flop around on the sidewalk.
In this world there is always enough time for exercise.
In this world our days can stretch out as far and as long as the vast green horizon that borders the city.
In this world one can go a whole lifetime without ever seeing the ocean.
In this world we have to learn to share our home with the ants, cockroaches, and geckos. There’s really no choice in the matter.
In this world there are people who wade through our trash and sell our recyclables as a respectable profession.
In this world we can grow a vegetable garden twelve months a year.
In this world we live in a kingdom known as the land of smiles & the king is revered by all.
In this world death is celebrated as just another part of the circle of life.
In this world we can still hear birds singing in the morning, even in the heart of the city.
In this world everyone gets their relaxing massage done in the same room together.
In this world these massages lasts two hours and costs five dollars per person.
In this world monks who’ve renounced their material possessions must resort to begging for food everyday, and are seen as the top of the social hierarchy: society’s elite.
In this world children bathe together unashamedly.
In this world we squat to use the toilet and spray down with water instead of using TP.
In this world eight year olds drive motorcycles to and from school, just like everyone else.
In this world there are no retirement homes because families live together and take care of each other.
In this world we shoot homemade rockets into the sky as a prayer for the coming rains.
In this world some mosquitoes are deadly.
In this world the most popular band is a group of men that dress up like cowboys and Indians, and play country western music.
In this world fresh tropical fruit is always in season.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Saturday, June 30, 2007
ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY
Happy Solstice! While summer time in Seattle is marked by sunny days (hopefully), here in Thailand summer invites the rolling thunder storms and cataclysmic sunsets. Unlike Seattle, rain showers here are rather exciting because they only last an hour or two: violently interrupting an otherwise 90-100 degree day. On the few auspicious occasions that the temperature plummets into the 80's, our students come to school wearing jackets and emerge from the school's swimming pool blue lipped and chattery teethed.
We quite enjoy northeast Thai cuisine. Katie's favorite dessert is lychees, which have just come into season here. When you peel the red skin off this golfball-shaped fruit, a white translucent flesh is revealed that tastes like roses and sugar. Travis, ever anxious to use his Thai language skills, loves to order "cow cow moo". This dish incidently has no beef in it whatsoever. Another local delicacy that we've only ever heard translated in English as "cow shit soup", does indeed have certain cattle remains inside; and is supposed to be fantastically delicious and quite spicy. Sometimes after school we take the motorcycle down to the Poo Milk Cafe (see picture) for some bubble tea. We're not exactly sure what's in the tea that makes it so yummy?
Recently our school celebrated "Wai Kru" day, which in English means respect your teachers. Our students brought us flowers, candles, and incense. Students bowed before all the teachers and presented them with gifts as is the Thai-Buddhist tradition. This was a rather overwhelming experience for both of us. Quite a juxtapostion for Katie after having taught Seattle Public School students last year. Teachers in the US get a fraction of the respect that teachers in Thailand do. Here, teachers are respected more than most other professions.
We have become rather spoiled indeed.
We quite enjoy northeast Thai cuisine. Katie's favorite dessert is lychees, which have just come into season here. When you peel the red skin off this golfball-shaped fruit, a white translucent flesh is revealed that tastes like roses and sugar. Travis, ever anxious to use his Thai language skills, loves to order "cow cow moo". This dish incidently has no beef in it whatsoever. Another local delicacy that we've only ever heard translated in English as "cow shit soup", does indeed have certain cattle remains inside; and is supposed to be fantastically delicious and quite spicy. Sometimes after school we take the motorcycle down to the Poo Milk Cafe (see picture) for some bubble tea. We're not exactly sure what's in the tea that makes it so yummy?
Recently our school celebrated "Wai Kru" day, which in English means respect your teachers. Our students brought us flowers, candles, and incense. Students bowed before all the teachers and presented them with gifts as is the Thai-Buddhist tradition. This was a rather overwhelming experience for both of us. Quite a juxtapostion for Katie after having taught Seattle Public School students last year. Teachers in the US get a fraction of the respect that teachers in Thailand do. Here, teachers are respected more than most other professions.
We have become rather spoiled indeed.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
SPELUNKING IN LAOS
... Just returned from a weekend trek to Laos, where we spent 3 days in Vang Vieng (see link to the map). The mist enshrouded mountains rose like giants out of the flat prairie fields. It was just like in the movie, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. We spent hours spelunking through endless caves, swimming in crystal clear water lagoons, and flying like trapeez artists on aerial rope swings. We even found a rope swing designed for two people to leap together at the same time. You know we did! If you ever get a chance to visit Laos, GO.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Friday, June 1, 2007
CRUISIN TO KINDERGARTEN
We have started the school year. Both of us are on a real learning curve as we get used to Thai customs in the school where we are teaching kindergarten. Days turn into nights quickly and its easy to get caught up in all the lesson planning, school events, and meetings with staff. We're almost as busy as y'all are in the states! Enough of that, on with the show...
We also got a motorcycle that sounds like a bumble bee in a jar. For cruisin of course. Travis loves practicing his wheelies and I love watching him do it, as long as I'm not on the bike with him. On the weekends we go exploring around Khon Kaen's many lakes. Check out the pics!
We've also pimped our crib: We're starting a garden on the back balcony and and have the laptop with surround sound up and running for movies. The university is near our house, so there are always students eating at the street corner shops and hanging out on our block. We're the only Americans for miles, which makes us quite a scene when we join the masses for "dinner on the sidewalk" at night. The best part though, is that the rainy season has come upon us. Compared to Thailand, Seattle does not the know meaning of rain. When the thunder rolls in, the birds stop singing and the people run indoors. Then giant gulf balls fall from the sky. The sound is like machine guns going off. If it happens during class, we turn off the lights and read stories. The kids love it.
We also got a motorcycle that sounds like a bumble bee in a jar. For cruisin of course. Travis loves practicing his wheelies and I love watching him do it, as long as I'm not on the bike with him. On the weekends we go exploring around Khon Kaen's many lakes. Check out the pics!
We've also pimped our crib: We're starting a garden on the back balcony and and have the laptop with surround sound up and running for movies. The university is near our house, so there are always students eating at the street corner shops and hanging out on our block. We're the only Americans for miles, which makes us quite a scene when we join the masses for "dinner on the sidewalk" at night. The best part though, is that the rainy season has come upon us. Compared to Thailand, Seattle does not the know meaning of rain. When the thunder rolls in, the birds stop singing and the people run indoors. Then giant gulf balls fall from the sky. The sound is like machine guns going off. If it happens during class, we turn off the lights and read stories. The kids love it.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
CAMBODIA AND ONWARDS
Katie graduated from her TESOL course!
To celebrate, we took a night bus to Cambodia for the weekend. Travis got road rash and Katie got a lung infection. 14 hours up and down over a pot-holed mud slide in an over-airconned bus will do that to ya. On the adventurous side of things.... we spent two days at Angkor Wat and surrounding temples. Angkor Wat is the second of the 7 wonders we've seen in our travels so far. There's a lot more to Angkor Wat than most people know (for details, ask in person). They say that in Cambodia, everyone smiles with a broken heart. And it's so true. The corruption thrives, the disease is rampant, and the war-torn history is still alive in the eyes of the Cambodians. It's impossible to visit without feeling saddness and guilt about what the US did to Cambodia. As breathtaking as it was, we were glad to get back to the creature comforts of home... Thailand that is.
So onward and upward to our new home in Kohn Kaen, in Northeastern Thailand (see map). We’ve only been living here a couple of days now, and we both love what we’ve seen of it so far. Katie is teaching kindergarten starting next week at Patanadek Bilingual Primary School. The real surprise came when Travis was offered a job teaching the three and four year olds... and he took it! Fancy that. Together we've been welcomed into this small family owned school community. They are arranging work visas for us. Our new digs are sweet, however cockroach infested. We’ve been put up in a two bed/two bath town house in a neighborhood with other teachers from the school. The house has two floors, two balconies, and a window-box garden for Travis to nurture his green thumb. Now that we’re both kid-fessionals, we have set up an office and feel quite excited (and terribly nervous) for the new school year to start next week. Stay tuned…
To celebrate, we took a night bus to Cambodia for the weekend. Travis got road rash and Katie got a lung infection. 14 hours up and down over a pot-holed mud slide in an over-airconned bus will do that to ya. On the adventurous side of things.... we spent two days at Angkor Wat and surrounding temples. Angkor Wat is the second of the 7 wonders we've seen in our travels so far. There's a lot more to Angkor Wat than most people know (for details, ask in person). They say that in Cambodia, everyone smiles with a broken heart. And it's so true. The corruption thrives, the disease is rampant, and the war-torn history is still alive in the eyes of the Cambodians. It's impossible to visit without feeling saddness and guilt about what the US did to Cambodia. As breathtaking as it was, we were glad to get back to the creature comforts of home... Thailand that is.
So onward and upward to our new home in Kohn Kaen, in Northeastern Thailand (see map). We’ve only been living here a couple of days now, and we both love what we’ve seen of it so far. Katie is teaching kindergarten starting next week at Patanadek Bilingual Primary School. The real surprise came when Travis was offered a job teaching the three and four year olds... and he took it! Fancy that. Together we've been welcomed into this small family owned school community. They are arranging work visas for us. Our new digs are sweet, however cockroach infested. We’ve been put up in a two bed/two bath town house in a neighborhood with other teachers from the school. The house has two floors, two balconies, and a window-box garden for Travis to nurture his green thumb. Now that we’re both kid-fessionals, we have set up an office and feel quite excited (and terribly nervous) for the new school year to start next week. Stay tuned…
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Monday, May 14, 2007
Friday, May 4, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
SLEEPY LITTLE BAN PHE
We're settling into our little post here in Ban Phe.
Katie is now half way through her TESOL (teaching english as a second to other languages) course and has just passed her final grammar/phonology exam. Her classes are being held in a Buddhist Temple where saffron-robed monks live and go about their daily chores amongst the English-teaching foreigners. It's a strange and exciting co-existence, and everybody seems to get along. Travis spends his days as he pleases: cruising around town on his motocycle picking up coconuts and exotic fruits, snorkeling in the bathtub waters of the Gulf of Thailand, editing photos on his brand new laptop, and making lunches for his studious wife when she comes home from school.
We also spent the past two weekends doing a little island-hopping. First to the nearby Koh Samed for some stunning white sand beaches that squeeked under our feet. And second to the farther away and much smaller island of Koh Larn, for some less than spectacular snorkelling amongst dieing coral and speedy jet skiis loaded with tourists. How dare everyone else have the same weekend idea we did! Ah well, another weekend in paradise. PS- Believe it or not, for the two people who never EVER burn, we've both become lobsters.
Katie is now half way through her TESOL (teaching english as a second to other languages) course and has just passed her final grammar/phonology exam. Her classes are being held in a Buddhist Temple where saffron-robed monks live and go about their daily chores amongst the English-teaching foreigners. It's a strange and exciting co-existence, and everybody seems to get along. Travis spends his days as he pleases: cruising around town on his motocycle picking up coconuts and exotic fruits, snorkeling in the bathtub waters of the Gulf of Thailand, editing photos on his brand new laptop, and making lunches for his studious wife when she comes home from school.
We also spent the past two weekends doing a little island-hopping. First to the nearby Koh Samed for some stunning white sand beaches that squeeked under our feet. And second to the farther away and much smaller island of Koh Larn, for some less than spectacular snorkelling amongst dieing coral and speedy jet skiis loaded with tourists. How dare everyone else have the same weekend idea we did! Ah well, another weekend in paradise. PS- Believe it or not, for the two people who never EVER burn, we've both become lobsters.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
THAILAND: THE LAND OF SMILES
We made it safely to Bangkok and kicked off the weekend with the locals celebrating Sankran, Thai New Years! Similar to playing Holi in India, here in Thailand the kids and kids-at-heart alike wait in the streets to throw buckets of water on unsuspecting passersby. We walked down Koh Sarn Road along with thousands of other ornery people smearing each other with a white menthol paste and spraying each other with super soakers. Of course, we had to get in on the action. Although we may have seemed like innocent bystanders, in reality we had an ambush of ice water waiting to toss on any unsuspecting locals. They loved it. The symbolism of this ritual is to wash your friends of last year's karma so they can start a new year free from penance. And after all the dousing that was given to us, we feel pretty darn sin-free.
Onward to a little beach town called Ban Phe (see map), close to Rayong on the Southeastern coast... where the weather is a breezy 90 degrees. Katie has begun her international English teacher's certification program here and has a teaching job in Northeastern Thailand waiting when she graduates. She is in school now 8 hours a day for the next month, taking classes in phonology, grammar, classroom management, and lesson planning. While Katie is in school, Travis is doing research for the purchase of his first personal laptop. He has got the mind to edit his photography with his new laptop so he can share his talents in imagery with the world.
Both of us are so glad to finally be here in Thailand: a gentle pillow compared to the coarse culture of India. The English school has put us up in a hotel across the street from the beach. In between class and research, we watch the sunrise together from our balcony, or swim in the hotel pool, or just bob around in the tranquil waters of the Gulf of Thailand and sip salt water.
Stay tuned...
Onward to a little beach town called Ban Phe (see map), close to Rayong on the Southeastern coast... where the weather is a breezy 90 degrees. Katie has begun her international English teacher's certification program here and has a teaching job in Northeastern Thailand waiting when she graduates. She is in school now 8 hours a day for the next month, taking classes in phonology, grammar, classroom management, and lesson planning. While Katie is in school, Travis is doing research for the purchase of his first personal laptop. He has got the mind to edit his photography with his new laptop so he can share his talents in imagery with the world.
Both of us are so glad to finally be here in Thailand: a gentle pillow compared to the coarse culture of India. The English school has put us up in a hotel across the street from the beach. In between class and research, we watch the sunrise together from our balcony, or swim in the hotel pool, or just bob around in the tranquil waters of the Gulf of Thailand and sip salt water.
Stay tuned...
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
FAREWELL INDIA
The eyes can only see what the mind is prepared to comprehend. This last post is written from the southern most tip of India. We are staying in Kanyakumari, where we are watching the waters of the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Bay of Bengal converge on the shore under our hotel room. The ocean stretches in both directions as far as the eye can see. Both sunrise and sunset are visible from the same stretch of beach.
It is here that the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were placed until spread at sea. Inside the temple dedicated to Gandhi there is a large plaque quoting him when he had visited Kanukumari before his death. His words speak perfectly to the place in which we find ourselves now. "I AM WRITING THIS FROM THE CAPE. WHERE THREE WATERS MERGE AND FURNISH A SIGHT UNEQUALED IN THE WORLD" -Mahatma Gandhi.
It's hard to believe our time here has come to an end. Tonight we take a night train to Chennai on the East coast of India in Tamil Nadu. Tomorrow we fly to Thailand. And around the corner, a new chapter: Bangkok!
Stay tuned...
It is here that the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were placed until spread at sea. Inside the temple dedicated to Gandhi there is a large plaque quoting him when he had visited Kanukumari before his death. His words speak perfectly to the place in which we find ourselves now. "I AM WRITING THIS FROM THE CAPE. WHERE THREE WATERS MERGE AND FURNISH A SIGHT UNEQUALED IN THE WORLD" -Mahatma Gandhi.
It's hard to believe our time here has come to an end. Tonight we take a night train to Chennai on the East coast of India in Tamil Nadu. Tomorrow we fly to Thailand. And around the corner, a new chapter: Bangkok!
Stay tuned...
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Sunday, April 8, 2007
A HOLY DELUGE
This week we went to a Hindu Festival in which the six hour long "Parade of the Gods" preceded a three hour firework show. Indians really know how to throw a party for their gods! The parade included floats with paper mache statues: Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva and all their homies painted in bright colors. We were surprised to learn that every year the rain gods show up to the festival for real, bathing the streets in demonstration of their approval.
Sure enough, it happened. As soon as the parade started the skies darkened, lightning darted about, and thunder cracked. It rained so hard we couldn't hold our eyelids open to see under the pressure of the falling water. We resorted to wearing our sunglasses at dusk, in effort to protect our eyes from the vertical buckets. It was the most voracious rain either of us have ever seen. "The Gods are happy", one man explained.
Suddenly the power went out and the whole scene went black. We ran to take refuge under a random tin-roofed hut as people lit candles all over the dark streets. First there was the sound of distant symbols clashing, growing louder and louder in the darkness. Then five of the largest land mammals approached, right in front of us. It was so dark we could only see the candle-lit silhouettes of the Holy Elephants. Until lightning struck and the flash illuminated a giant creature staring down at us. The procession of the Holy Elephants commenced in this way. Crack! Strobes lit up the street to reveal a gargantuan elephant decorated in holy regalia, heaving by like a dinosaur. Riding on top of the creature was a man dressed like a maharajah. Lightning eerily flashing in the sky above his head. Think "Aladdin" meets "Jurassic Park". Then it all went black. Crack! Crack! Another elephant passed and we'd gasp. Black again. And it went on like this until the elephants approached the Hindu Temple, after which the storm abruptly stopped and the weather returned to it's normal equatorial smolder. Every single summer it mysteriously rains on this most auspicious festival day.
But this is not the only time the rain gods show up. India is full of auspicious spectacles.
Where else can you see villagers make a wedding ceremony for two frogs, spending loads of money just like for a human marriage? With the whole village in attendance, a holy man gives the vows, and two frogs dressed like royalty in gold frills are wed... all this as a ritual to bring on the rains when the crops are thirsty. Only after the bride and groom have been sent to a nearby pond for their honeymoon does the precipitation arrive. It rains hard. Every single time they do this.
Where else can you see that?
Where else can you see a shoeless man herding his sheep and talking on his cell phone?
Where else can you see three major oceans converge on one beach, where the sun rises and sets in the same horizon and thousands of pilgrims come to pray... and yet be surrounded with homeless children carrying homeless babies on their hips and sleeping in garbage piles on the sidewalk?
Where else can you visit the site of the tsunami and meet people who's entire families were lost in one wave, and then watch them cavort in the surf like its the first time they've seen salt water?
Where else can you see dark skinned natives in designer jeans, wearing skin-lightening makeup, walking down the street next to white Americans wearing bindis, working on their tans, and searching for God in a foreign deity? India is is full of paradoxes.
It's impossible to reason anything out here. You'd be amazed at the lack of logic in the lifestyle and the utter craziness of it all. It has reduced this writer to teary cries of empathic pain followed by cathartic belly laughs at how sturdy God has made us humans.
Sure enough, it happened. As soon as the parade started the skies darkened, lightning darted about, and thunder cracked. It rained so hard we couldn't hold our eyelids open to see under the pressure of the falling water. We resorted to wearing our sunglasses at dusk, in effort to protect our eyes from the vertical buckets. It was the most voracious rain either of us have ever seen. "The Gods are happy", one man explained.
Suddenly the power went out and the whole scene went black. We ran to take refuge under a random tin-roofed hut as people lit candles all over the dark streets. First there was the sound of distant symbols clashing, growing louder and louder in the darkness. Then five of the largest land mammals approached, right in front of us. It was so dark we could only see the candle-lit silhouettes of the Holy Elephants. Until lightning struck and the flash illuminated a giant creature staring down at us. The procession of the Holy Elephants commenced in this way. Crack! Strobes lit up the street to reveal a gargantuan elephant decorated in holy regalia, heaving by like a dinosaur. Riding on top of the creature was a man dressed like a maharajah. Lightning eerily flashing in the sky above his head. Think "Aladdin" meets "Jurassic Park". Then it all went black. Crack! Crack! Another elephant passed and we'd gasp. Black again. And it went on like this until the elephants approached the Hindu Temple, after which the storm abruptly stopped and the weather returned to it's normal equatorial smolder. Every single summer it mysteriously rains on this most auspicious festival day.
But this is not the only time the rain gods show up. India is full of auspicious spectacles.
Where else can you see villagers make a wedding ceremony for two frogs, spending loads of money just like for a human marriage? With the whole village in attendance, a holy man gives the vows, and two frogs dressed like royalty in gold frills are wed... all this as a ritual to bring on the rains when the crops are thirsty. Only after the bride and groom have been sent to a nearby pond for their honeymoon does the precipitation arrive. It rains hard. Every single time they do this.
Where else can you see that?
Where else can you see a shoeless man herding his sheep and talking on his cell phone?
Where else can you see three major oceans converge on one beach, where the sun rises and sets in the same horizon and thousands of pilgrims come to pray... and yet be surrounded with homeless children carrying homeless babies on their hips and sleeping in garbage piles on the sidewalk?
Where else can you visit the site of the tsunami and meet people who's entire families were lost in one wave, and then watch them cavort in the surf like its the first time they've seen salt water?
Where else can you see dark skinned natives in designer jeans, wearing skin-lightening makeup, walking down the street next to white Americans wearing bindis, working on their tans, and searching for God in a foreign deity? India is is full of paradoxes.
It's impossible to reason anything out here. You'd be amazed at the lack of logic in the lifestyle and the utter craziness of it all. It has reduced this writer to teary cries of empathic pain followed by cathartic belly laughs at how sturdy God has made us humans.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
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