To the temples of Angkor and back

My trip to Angkor Wat was great! I could have done without a stop in Phnom Pehn though as I was quickly bored with the market scene and wasn't looking to be drunk the whole weekend. It was fun to take the bus there, meet another university student, and see the countryside surrounding the Mekong Delta. I found it hard to meet people at my hotels as my tour package had me staying at fairly expensive places. I learned a lot; for instance next time I would prefer making my own arrangements and staying at a youth hostel in hopes of meetings other young singles with whom I could share conversation and costs with. We live and we learn. This has become my mantra.

The temples were INCREDIBLE! They cover such a large distance (think upwards of 50km between some of the temples)! I really enjoyed seeing Bayon, the temples with the faces- 216 faces to be exact (they reside in Angkor Thom- a series of temples in a 9km square area). It was really special to see the sunrise over Angkor Wat too! That would be the highlight of my trip; I took a tuk-tuk (motorcycle carriage) tour to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat and then to other more remote temples. There were swarms of people at Angkor Wat, but after that I found that the other temples were less crowded- I even had one to myself for 20 minutes. It was nice to see the temples before it got so hot. All in all a great long-weekend adventure/solo trek. Check out some of my photos here.

This has been a good weekend to catch my breath and look towards next week. I'll be teaching social studies and reading groups and helping a lot with math this week. Though I don't know about this teaching gig- I'm pretty bored with the third graders and not as patient as I should be. They are so little, and need to be taught how to open three ring binders and the like. I do love them- as individuals they are bright, caring, and friendly. I guess I'd just rather spend more time teaching content I enjoy- say humanities, sociology, English or the like to middle schoolers or even high schoolers. I guess it's best I learn this now rather than later, but still frustrating to come this far and feel like I need to go back to school (for another degree) before I can really enjoy teaching.

But again, I do love my students! Personalities are coming out and classroom dynamics are changing. Students are losing teeth, passing notes, playing with Pokemon and folding origami in their desks as though they think that we don't see them, and tattling on each other. I forgot what it was like to be a third grader! I do remember being more concerned with my sticker collection than with learning my multiplication tables though. My other mantra has become "Be patient with yourself and others." These kids are really special, and though I don't think I'd like to ever work in a third grade classroom again I am learning a lot in the process.

Last night I went with my cooperating teacher Nancy, her husband Bill, their grandson Stevey and two other couples to a restaurant owned by one of the families from the school. They are from Hong Kong and served us a 10 course Cantonese meal! I think 5/10 courses were shellfish based, but I was served chicken and vegetarian options instead. Had to pass on the shark fin and crab soup though, and three courses with shrimp. Our students dined with us, and their mom too. The food was incredibly tasty and they wouldn't accept any payment. So generous! The restaurant is 4 stories tall and serves up to 2,000 guests. There was a wedding reception on the floor above us. Quite an experience!

Also- I'm still allergic to something. I saw a doctor who thinks it may be alcohol, the sun, or the swimming pool. So I am to avoid these this week, take some more meds and report back for a check up. I don't know what I'll do without my nightly swim... I'm starting to think I may be allergic to third graders.

And with that I will return to the experience of lesson planning while listening to Jack Johnson and Coldplay as it streams on the stereo here at a favorite coffee of mine here in the 'burbs. Oh life...

Thank God for antihistamines

I am feeling quite a bit more comfortable in my own skin today- thank God for antihistamines and hydrocortisone cream! Still mourning the end of my seaside seafood diet, but all good things come to an end.

I did get a good evening swim in. I felt consoled knowing that I wasn't going to develop a greater rash with each stroke I was taking. The pool water is warmed by the sun and cooled by the rain, and despite the fact that the clouds have been heavy with hopes of rain they have held off. This was the first morning the sun was shining during my bike ride to school and the first day that it didn't rain at all. The air is oppressively humid. Hope it rains tonight!

After school I went to a favorite coffee shop to read for fun. I finished Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God." A beautiful book- and one that challenged me to consider the ways which language succeeds and fails to capture the human experience. More thoughts to come on this...

I'm drugged and drowsy and off to bed.

Stear clear of shrimp: A weekend update

The weekend is coming to a close which means it is time to gear up for another week at SSIS. I am looking forward to getting back in the classroom but wish the weekend wasn't over just yet...

Saturday morning a group of new teachers traveled to Song Be to visit a pottery village. Our group traveled from stall to stall where various families were selling their wears; life-size German Shepards, Snow White and her dwarves, elephant tables, large flower pots, and various table settings. It was fun to get out of the city and people watch. My eyes were tired (we left at 7:30) but also hungry. There are few things I enjoy more than taking in the sights of a country while riding in a bus (and good thing because I have 12 hours of bus riding ahead of me this weekend).

Saturday afternoon found Audrey and me meeting our Taiwanese friends from our dormitory to venture downtown. We spotted some of the famous sites- The Rex Hotel, the Post Office, and the Notre Dame Cathedral- while searching for running shoes, a tailor, and a travel agent.

Saturday evening we met up with two of my favorite teaching colleagues- Dyana and Karinna- for Singapore Slings, frozen yogurt, and refreshing conversation. I am still discovering many nooks of this suburb and enjoy doing so in the company of these ladies.

Our cabinets at school arrived this weekend so Nancy and I spent the morning planning lessons and rearranging our classroom. I sure do enjoy working with her!

On a more frustrating note, I spent this afternoon in the emergency room diagnosing an allergy to shrimp. This sounds more dramatic than it is- as all medical offices are closed on Sundays with the exception being the emergency room. I simply could not stand to remain untreated until Monday. I have been really itchy since Wednesday and trying to determine if my skin was being irritated by the chlorine in the pool, my laundry detergent, or a number of other things including an adventuresome diet. When the doctor saw my rash today she immediately asked if I had been eating shrimp. Yes! I ate shrimp for Wednesday dinner, Thursday dinner, and Saturday lunch. No longer- my doctor has ordered me to stop. This is so unfortunate as shrimp here are found in many foods and are really tasty!

I just finished watching the Olympic Closing Ceremonies. It has been really fun to watch the games every evening while unwinding at the dorm. I guess I'll need to get a new hobby now.

For all of my Minnesotan friends- please do me a favor and enjoy the "Great Minnesota Get-Together" for me. I've been clicking my heals in hopes of teleporting myself to the Fairgrounds but I have had no luck in doing so. What I would give for a cheese curd...

In awe of owls

This evening I was enjoying a my routine in the pool when I spotted the largest bat I have ever seen. I was doing the elementary backstroke (one of 5 strokes included in my routine because I don't need to put my face in the water) when this bat with a three foot wingspan tried to dive bomb me. It wasn't until the creature was within a few feet of my face- and nearly pooped on me- that I realized this was no bat, but rather an owl. I raised a commotion and the owl decided not to try and snatch me from the water (though there is part of me that would have liked to see that happen). It flew to a poolside coconut tree and perched there.

We maintained eye contact for an unmeasured time cocking heads and checking one another out. I reluctantly returned to my "workout" but kept an eye on the owl- and good thing 'cause this guy tried to dive bomb me again. He/she repeated this twice more before finally retreating to the trees. I kept my eye on him for the remainder of my swim and tried to get a better look at his features while toweling off. In the evening light it was hard to decipher coloring and specific markings, but I am sure there were no ear tufts and upon using the "New Holland Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia" (which I'm borrowing from a fellow birder at SSIS) I've decided this owl was either a Barn or Grass Owl. Majestic. I was awestruck- and glad not to have actually come in contact with the bird. As I entered the dorm I heard him let out a loud screech.

In other news, Shel Silverstein was a huge hit with the kiddos! I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but they were so giggly that we read for about forty minutes. They specifically enjoyed "The Whatifs" which was a favorite poem of mine as a fifth grader. It's fun to see kids so enthralled with books.

Xin chao from Vietnam

Phu My Hung District: My new home









The view from my room










Vietnamese wraps










Saigon South International School- SSIS










Audrey and me with our new bikes


Xin chao (Hello) friends and family,

Well... my first week of school as a student teacher is coming to an end. I'm working in a third grade classroom at Saigon South International School in a new district of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. There were many complications this week as the building is new, the rooms haven't been furnished with white boards or cupboards, there is no cafeteria, and much of the curriculum is still lost in transit. But you know what? I don't think the kids have caught onto a lot of it. They are too busy being kids. School continues; teaching and learning still occur. To be honest I think a lot of the teachers are spoiled because they are so accustomed to being well supplied. It's a good time to experience the changes of a growing school.

This week I've been leading some class activities and I am always in charge of read-aloud. Today I read Dr. Seuss' "The Butter Battle Book" and tomorrow I'll be reading from Shel Silverstein's "A Light in the Attic." I read-aloud when the kids have returned from lunch and recess. They are incredibly attentive and well mannered, though they can be silly too. This is undoubtedly my favorite part of the day. (And while writing this I am reminded that I should choose a few poems and practice my read-aloud voice).

My biggest challenge has been learning to pronounce the names of my twenty students. With names such as Ying Ying, Ye Jin, Nhu, Nayli, Jung Keun, Moeno, Jeric, Gia Hue, Dinh Anh, and Hang I had my work cut out for me! The kids are really sweet though, and we have an Olympic themed classroom which lends well to the international makeup of the class. The majority of students are Chinese and Korean. A couple students are Malaysian and Vietnamese. There's one Swede and one Japanese student. I think only 3 were born in the US. They are really sweet kids. I am already learning a lot from them!

A big announcement- I just booked my tickets for a trip to Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Audrey (the other student teacher from Luther) didn't apply for a multiple entry visa, and so she and our other close friend Dyana decided to go on their own trip here in Vietnam. So... I'm solo trekking! I'm anxious, but really looking forward to having some time to myself. Should be an exciting journey- and perhaps the trip of a lifetime (Traveling alone is on my list of 100 things to do before I die)!

In other news I have taken up biking and swimming here in the 'burbs of Ho Chi Minh City. Audrey and I purchased our very own Vietnamese bikes to take us to and from school. For $53 you too could own your own one-speed cruiser with front basket and lock. It's been a nice means of getting around town. My room overlooks the dormitory pool and I have taken to swimming most nights. The only problem is that there are 7-10 bats who also enjoy the pool during the evenings. At first I was quite startled to have bats flying within a few feet of my face, but I'm trying to be like Bruce Wayne and face my fears. I've been thinking of Batman's need to face his fears to gain the courage and strength necessary to become who he is destined to be (can you tell I just watched the Batman movies?!). It's not the bats I'm afraid of, but rather coming in contact with one and needing to get rabies shots. Anyhow, I never liked swimming much as a kid but I'm coming to really enjoy the way my body feels in the water. I think the Olympics have also inspired this renewed desire for sport... did you know that every four years (coinciding with the Olympics) enrollment for kids' gymnastics classes nearly double in size?

All for now- I'm planning to enjoy a big bowl of cereal and watch the Olympics (though it's not nearly as fun when the commentary is in Mandarin or Vietnamese).

A Grand Adventure to Machu Picchu!

I am typing this entry from a Loki Backpackers Hostal in Cuzco, Peru. I am nearing the end of our journey to Machu Picchu and have lots to write about...

I am traveling with 3 friends from my program- Clay, Becca, and Tariq. Finals ended on Monday afternoon and by Monday night we were aboard a bus headed south to the Peruvian border. We learned early-on that counterfeited money is very common in Peru, and are finding that people are trying to take advantage of us (presuming we have lots of money) left and right. I wasn't used to this in Quito and am finding it hard to know who to trust.

Over 36 hours of bus travel finally brought us to Lima. I had considered studying abroad there and after a brief visit feel that Quito was a better fit for me. We stayed a great hostal where I enjoyed having 4 pet turtles.

From Lima we took various buses and taxis to Santa Maria, the nearest town to Aguas Calientes. We were all carsick and fearing for our lives when the rides were over and decided it would be better to be broke than broken and booked the Perurail for our return trip. Incredible views as we passed through the Andes yet again.

The journey from Santa Maria to Machu Picchu was adventuresome. Part hitchiking, part walking the train tracks. All in all a great way to stretch our legs and enjoy awesome scenery. We hiked to Aguas Calientes (3 hours) and the next morning to Machu Picchu entrance (1 hour of steep climbing). We arrived before the tour buses (at 5:55am) putting us in good postition to see the ruins before they were clobered with people.

Machu Picchu was beautiful. We had perfect weather which made the day that much more enjoyable (it's now the off season as it's the rainy season). However cliche it sounds it really was a dream come true to visit. I was surprised that there weren´t more tourists visiting- though again it was the rainy season. I especially enjoyed seeing the llamas or alpacas grazing the lands. It was fun to think about what life must have been like there over 500 years ago. There is still a lot of speculation about what Machu Picchu was actually used for- fortress, retreat for nobility, city, etc. I am inspired to do a lot of research to learn more. We also hiked to the Waynapicchu peak and had a great view of our walking path from the previous night as well as a great view of the city.

Despite problems with transportation and counterfeited money the trip was well worth it!

I found myself with a lot of time to reflect on this semester. There are many things I will miss about Ecuador including:

Fruits, fruit salads, fresh juices

Cheap fresh baked bread- easily accessible on every corner

Bus transport at $1 an hour

Patient and slow Spanish speakers

Convenience of using Metro Transit

The sun (in such close proximity)

The Mariscal- day or night

Sunny mornings lounging on the campus lawn at La Catolica

A very affordable lifestyle for a college student´s budget

Having time to read

Views of the Andes from the heart of Quito

I will also miss my family, friends, professors, and directors.

It is hard to believe this semester has come and gone... time flies when you´re having fun! I feel so blessed for this experience and doubly blessed to be so excited to return home to great friends and family in the States.

Hasta luego...

Perhaps the longest entry yet…

The streets of Cuenca

Markets stocked with fresh produce











Cajas National Park











Ingapirca















With friends in Canar


FAMILY

I am continuing to reflect on the visit from my family and I am so grateful that there were able to visit! I’m glad they were able to experience a bit of life in Ecuador I am sure this semester will continue to influence my life in the years to come. It was fun for me to travel to the coast with them and experience new things there while also sharing some of my favorite places in Quito with them.

When the Cross Mark team welcomed visitors in Malawi I was excited for the chance to see the country with fresh eyes. My family brought fresh eyes and perspectives with them to Ecuador.

My dad was surprised that Quito was so cosmopolitan. He also thought it was fairly dirty. Throughout my travels this has been a recurring theme: the sanitation of communities abroad. It’s all relative. Compared to Accra, Ghana, Quito is impeccably clean! Compared to most major U.S. cities... Quito is not so clean.

Mom mentioned how strange it was to assign tour guiding and itinerary planning to me.

I think Christa was surprised at how easily accessible Kinder Eggs (her favorite foreign chocolate with surprise inside) are here!

My family was, and I continue to be, surprised at how economic travel is within the country. Hostals, meals, and transportation are all reasonably priced for most travelers visiting from the U.S. Our dollar goes far here.

Again- a great visit and opportunity to share many aspects of my Ecuadorian life with my family.

CUENCA

This past weekend I traveled to the south-central highlands to visit Cuenca- a quaint colonial city (3^rd largest in Ecuador- and former capital). Cuenca is strikingly different from Quito as there are only a few buildings which stand taller than two stories and is easily manageable by foot. Cobblestone streets and an abundance of churches and parks make Cuenca a charming place to visit!

This was my last trip before traveling to Machu Picchu, Peru next week and was a good weekend to travel one last time in Ecuador with friends, Cammie and Hannah, from my program and FINALLY have a chance to travel with my Luther-friend Malory. Mal’s and my schedule have kept us from traveling on weekends together so we felt the trip was long overdue (last spring we had visions of traveling every weekend together)! It was great to spend time with her outside of Quito and also travel with her friends.

We were able to visit many local markets which boasted fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and even live rabbits and guinea pigs. There were many great opportunities for taking photographs and people watching. Other markets sold piggy banks, other ceramics, wooden kitchen utensils and woven rugs and baskets. It was a beautiful day and way to see the mix of local cultures.

Friday we hiked at Cajas National Park. We had great weather to trek through the thick paramo grasses and arrived at a rock ridge which provided us with a great view of the lakes in the valley below us. A beautiful park!

Malory loves dancing more than she loves life itself so we spent two nights at local bars dancing. We had a great time talking and dancing with the Cuencanos and listening to an incredible live salsa band.

I ate roasted cuy- or guinea pig in Cuenca for the first time. While traveling in Quilotoa I ate some fried cuy. I have to say I prefer it roasted. It really was great meat- and really well seasoned. We made a few friends at the restaurant that told us the crispy ears are the best part… I didn’t like the ears that much.

Sunday Malory and two of her friends and I traveled to Ingapirca- the largest Incan ruins in Ecuador. We enjoyed our adventure getting there as we were sidetracked in Canar by Quichua musicians and a beautiful market. A few local college students approached us and asked if we would like to tour their city with them. We spent a great afternoon chatting with them, visiting their town’s museum and walking through their market. The population of Canar is still 70% indigenous and it was incredible to see how the people are maintaining their culture in the face of globalization.

We arrived at Ingapirca to see the sunset and receive a free guided tour from a local man anxious to share his city with us (at this point it was obvious how proud these people are of where they come from and how generous they were too). The scene was beautiful. A fault of Ingapirca is that it was built in a valley and offered little protection for the Canaris/Incans while under attack, but logistics aside it was a beautiful location!

Yet another great trip! I am still surprised at how diverse this country is!

MUHAMMAD YUNUS

While traveling in Cuenca I was reading “Banker to the Poor,” Muhammad Yunus’ book about the history of the Grameen Bank and his work with micro financing. I was hoping to finish the book by Monday as Malory, some of our friends, and I went to see him speak here in Quito. It was inspiring to hear him recount his story in front of a crowd of thousands- he has a humble spirit about him and speaks with a gentle voice.

I have been involved with getting a group of Luther students to invest in entrepreneurs seeking micro-credit loans and was reenergized by Yunus’ speech and call to eliminate poverty. If you are interested in learning more about Yunus’ work the book is a great start. You can also log onto Kiva.org and learn more about lending to an entrepreneur yourself.

FIESTAS DE QUITO

This week those in Quito have been celebrating its foundation- or conquest and establishment by the Spanish in 1534. The week is celebrated with bullfights, chiva rides, and general partying.

Tuesday I went to the toros- or bullfight with my friend Aaron and his host sisters. I was excited for the experience though I wasn’t prepared. After the first of six bulls was killed I had tears welled up in my eyes and found myself questioning why I was there. I have a few friends who were conscientious objectors- stating the fights were too brutal to support with their time or money. After the first fight the bullfighter I came to see entered the ring- Sebastian Castella from France (most of the bullfighters are flown in from Spain). Castella is extremely attractive and made the fight seem like a dance. It seemed to me to be more respectful than the other fight. I also learned that all of the meat from the bulls is donated to those in need after the fights. That also made the fights easier to… stomach.

Yesterday I attended a soccer game between Liga and Nacional- two of the 6 teams in Quito. I went with my host family- my host sisters cheer for Liga, and Lorenita, Chama (the dog) and I cheer for Nacional (actually it is hotly debated where Chama’s allegiance actually lies). I opted to wear my Nacional jersey- even though we were playing at Liga’s field and Liga is ranked 1 and we are ranked 5. I am not exaggerating when I say that of the 10,000+ people at the game I saw only 6 other people wearing Nacional clothing. I was lucky not to be harassed. The game ended 2-0 Liga which meant that they are this year’s champion.

The tradition is for the team and their thousands of fans to travel to the University (where the team was founded) to bathe in the fountain to celebrate the championship. My family and I made our way there, though I was under strict instructions to wear a jacket over my Nacional jersey. This did not stop fans from pouring beer and wine over my head though… so in the end we all left wet- Liga and Nacional fans alike.

It has been a fun week and great way to end my time in Quito and Ecuador at large. However, I think I have a case of food poisoning and my body is telling me to slow down. It is obvious that my time here is almost up, and I will be sad to leave.

More photos