Stick your foot out,
Adventure clings by footfall.
TOMORROW: Off to New York for a new adventure! Flying JetBlue, trying to (YET AGAIN) cram my life into suitcases. Packing, unpacking, packing, unpacking... it seems like that's all I ever do. Let it be noted that this is NOT complaint!
Catch ya later West Coast!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Risk-Taking
Back in America for over a month now, I can say that a year away has left me without any greater understanding of my own culture. In fact, I feel more confused about America than ever. It has been challenging to adjust to life here, much in the same way it was so challenging to adjust to life in Cambodia. I am trying to remind myself of that 3-month hurdle... after about 3 months in Cambodia, although things still weren't always easy, life began to make some sort of sense--ie, I could get a tuk-tuk from Point A to Point B, had made a few friends, was understanding how to teach a little bit, was settling into life in Phnom Penh. I think adjusting back to being in America, albeit incredibly easier than adjusting to life in Cambodia, will just take a little time. Growing pains, I guess?
In life updates, I'm currently in Long Beach, CA and planning yet another location change! This time it will be on the same continent, don't worry! I am moving to New York City in late November. I have felt for a while that it is the right place for me, at least for right now. Perhaps it is the right time to jump headfirst into a big city.
It is a risk; I don't have a job lined up there (YET!) and it is a whole new weather climate, but the last big risk I took (Cambodia, duh!) turned out well, didn't it? I never realized I was a "risk-taker." But then when I think about it, hmm... maybe that time I went sky-diving counts as "risk-taker" behavior? Or, you know, that time I moved to another country (Cambodia, duh!)? The countless times I've performed on stage or shared my writing, those were risks in a way, too, I suppose. Now that I think about it, I live for and LOVE the risks I've taken! Perhaps risk-taking has too many negative connotations.
More updates to follow soon as I tackle the next country: New York City!
In life updates, I'm currently in Long Beach, CA and planning yet another location change! This time it will be on the same continent, don't worry! I am moving to New York City in late November. I have felt for a while that it is the right place for me, at least for right now. Perhaps it is the right time to jump headfirst into a big city.
It is a risk; I don't have a job lined up there (YET!) and it is a whole new weather climate, but the last big risk I took (Cambodia, duh!) turned out well, didn't it? I never realized I was a "risk-taker." But then when I think about it, hmm... maybe that time I went sky-diving counts as "risk-taker" behavior? Or, you know, that time I moved to another country (Cambodia, duh!)? The countless times I've performed on stage or shared my writing, those were risks in a way, too, I suppose. Now that I think about it, I live for and LOVE the risks I've taken! Perhaps risk-taking has too many negative connotations.
More updates to follow soon as I tackle the next country: New York City!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Bali, Indonesia
An update on my recent trip to Bali. Bali is an island within the country of Indonesia. Indonesia seems to be so vast and rich in interesting cultures. One day, I'll explore all of Indonesia. But for now, it was just the stunning, idyllic island of Bali.
I'm finding it difficult to put Bali into the right words. Bali was like... a breath of fresh air. The sky was just so... blue, and constantly filled with kites. The trees and plants were green and everyone was smiling (including me!).
We stayed in an apartment in the Kuta beach area. I had heard some negative things about Kuta but found it incredibly beautiful and pleasant, if not a little crowded. I couldn't imagine Bali in high-tourist season; it was crowded everywhere and high-tourist season hadn't even begun yet! We spent most of our time in the Kuta beach area, beaching and shopping and relaxing and eating. They have a crazy nightlife in Kuta, too. We also rented a motorcycle and explored other parts of the island. It isn't really that big so we were able to go and get lost, finding a few less-crowded beaches and coves, as well as seeing many different cities and towns via the (confusing) roads. The traffic--if you'll believe it--was somehow worse there than in Phnom Penh! Phnom Penh traffic, although absolutely insane, has a sort of rhythm. Bali's did not seem to have a rhythm (or at least I wasn't there long enough to learn it's rhythm).
I was in Bali for at least two major holidays. The first was Indonesian Independence Day. There were flags adorning nearly every possible public place in celebration. The second holiday was for several days. I'm not sure the actual name of this holiday, but it was to celebrate the return/visitation of the gods to Earth. There were ornate decorations, again, everywhere for this holiday. It was fun to watch our neighbors working on decorations for the front of our apartment complex's shrine. During the holiday, a lot of performers took to the streets with drums and masks, even dragon costumes.
Bali is incredible slowed down and relaxed. Thus, my trip to Bali allowed me to decompress a lot of what has happened in the last 13 months. A year of living ridiculously far from home, of traveling to places I'd just barely heard of, of meeting people from all over the world, of adapting, of listening and sharing, but most of all, of having fun. I am trying to think of a better or more sophisticated word, but sometimes a word as simple as "fun" is the most accurate. Fun. And as for the word of right now? Tired.
I'm finding it difficult to put Bali into the right words. Bali was like... a breath of fresh air. The sky was just so... blue, and constantly filled with kites. The trees and plants were green and everyone was smiling (including me!).
We stayed in an apartment in the Kuta beach area. I had heard some negative things about Kuta but found it incredibly beautiful and pleasant, if not a little crowded. I couldn't imagine Bali in high-tourist season; it was crowded everywhere and high-tourist season hadn't even begun yet! We spent most of our time in the Kuta beach area, beaching and shopping and relaxing and eating. They have a crazy nightlife in Kuta, too. We also rented a motorcycle and explored other parts of the island. It isn't really that big so we were able to go and get lost, finding a few less-crowded beaches and coves, as well as seeing many different cities and towns via the (confusing) roads. The traffic--if you'll believe it--was somehow worse there than in Phnom Penh! Phnom Penh traffic, although absolutely insane, has a sort of rhythm. Bali's did not seem to have a rhythm (or at least I wasn't there long enough to learn it's rhythm).
I was in Bali for at least two major holidays. The first was Indonesian Independence Day. There were flags adorning nearly every possible public place in celebration. The second holiday was for several days. I'm not sure the actual name of this holiday, but it was to celebrate the return/visitation of the gods to Earth. There were ornate decorations, again, everywhere for this holiday. It was fun to watch our neighbors working on decorations for the front of our apartment complex's shrine. During the holiday, a lot of performers took to the streets with drums and masks, even dragon costumes.
Bali is incredible slowed down and relaxed. Thus, my trip to Bali allowed me to decompress a lot of what has happened in the last 13 months. A year of living ridiculously far from home, of traveling to places I'd just barely heard of, of meeting people from all over the world, of adapting, of listening and sharing, but most of all, of having fun. I am trying to think of a better or more sophisticated word, but sometimes a word as simple as "fun" is the most accurate. Fun. And as for the word of right now? Tired.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Bali Mini-Update
There is so much to say... But the words aren't right yet to say them. I'm in Bali, Indonesia having the greatest time. I literally don't think I've ever been so happy. Being a jobless, worry-free beach bum suits me just fine. There's so much more-- but this is an update for now! Xoxox
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Battambang
Hello everyone!
A quick update, since I think it's been too long since I logged on!
As I type, I keep thinking about one of my writing icons... Nora Ephron, who passed away today. It feels right to write on a day like this.
So, I will. About a recent trip to Battambang, Cambodia during a holiday for the Queen of Cambodia's birthday. Battambang is in the Northwest and is the second biggest province of Cambodia, second only to Phnom Penh. But, it is by no means large! It is famously sleepy and closes down by 7pm. You read those things, but, no! Really. Sleepy and closes by 7pm. No complaints--we got rest most of the time and still managed to make it to the only night club in town. (That in itself was an adventure--the club shuts down at 1am, and at EXACTLY 1am, the entire club, I MEAN EVERY SINGLE PERSON INSIDE THE CLUB, rushed out the doors and within MINUTES the club was empty, right on schedule. For a country that is not rigid or often very organized, this was the most organized, regimented exodus of a nightclub, of all places, I've ever seen). In Battambang, we stayed in a pretty bad Chinese-run hotel, but still managed to enjoy the long weekend!
The first day we arrived we took the "famous" bamboo train. Bamboo train seems like it would describe something dinky, bumpy, even slow-moving, but NO--this was a fast-paced adventure roller coaster! The train zoomed through the jungle, and at every bump my body sort of flew into the air off of the bamboo mat that was this train. Every time I opened my mouth, huge insects flew into my mouth and I nearly lost my sandals as we sped on the questionable train tracks! It was amazing. I bought a t-shirt.
The next day we saw the Khmer Rouge Killing Caves. Battambang was a Khmer Rouge strong hold until relatively recently, and in the natural caves of the mountains, the Khmer Rouge murdered over 10,000 people. 10,000 in one small area lost their lives by being flung, often still alive, into a rocky pit. There are still human bones, teeth and fingers in the dirt as you walk through the caves. It just reminds me of the horror of the Cambodian genocide, but also of the timing--this all wasn't that long ago (1975-1979). It reminds me of how far Cambodia has come in such a short time.
We also went on some hikes around mountains and caves which I wasn't a huge fan of. I really don't care for caves. I just don't and I don't know why, because everyone else seems to think they're pretty cool. Oh, well.
We also were able to check out some art galleries. Battambang has a really funky, creative side, and is sort of considered the "artist capital" of Cambodia. There are some cool art workshops for kids, too.
Other than that, we pretty much just relaxed and enjoyed being out of busy, loud Phnom Penh!
Back in said Penh, I'm just enjoying the... weather? And good friends and good times before it all ends more quickly than I could have ever imagined! As we head into July, I look forward to a few more small weekend trips around Cambodia to tide me over until my big trip to Indonesia in September and my imminent and epic return to the states!
Love!!!
A quick update, since I think it's been too long since I logged on!
As I type, I keep thinking about one of my writing icons... Nora Ephron, who passed away today. It feels right to write on a day like this.
So, I will. About a recent trip to Battambang, Cambodia during a holiday for the Queen of Cambodia's birthday. Battambang is in the Northwest and is the second biggest province of Cambodia, second only to Phnom Penh. But, it is by no means large! It is famously sleepy and closes down by 7pm. You read those things, but, no! Really. Sleepy and closes by 7pm. No complaints--we got rest most of the time and still managed to make it to the only night club in town. (That in itself was an adventure--the club shuts down at 1am, and at EXACTLY 1am, the entire club, I MEAN EVERY SINGLE PERSON INSIDE THE CLUB, rushed out the doors and within MINUTES the club was empty, right on schedule. For a country that is not rigid or often very organized, this was the most organized, regimented exodus of a nightclub, of all places, I've ever seen). In Battambang, we stayed in a pretty bad Chinese-run hotel, but still managed to enjoy the long weekend!
The first day we arrived we took the "famous" bamboo train. Bamboo train seems like it would describe something dinky, bumpy, even slow-moving, but NO--this was a fast-paced adventure roller coaster! The train zoomed through the jungle, and at every bump my body sort of flew into the air off of the bamboo mat that was this train. Every time I opened my mouth, huge insects flew into my mouth and I nearly lost my sandals as we sped on the questionable train tracks! It was amazing. I bought a t-shirt.
The next day we saw the Khmer Rouge Killing Caves. Battambang was a Khmer Rouge strong hold until relatively recently, and in the natural caves of the mountains, the Khmer Rouge murdered over 10,000 people. 10,000 in one small area lost their lives by being flung, often still alive, into a rocky pit. There are still human bones, teeth and fingers in the dirt as you walk through the caves. It just reminds me of the horror of the Cambodian genocide, but also of the timing--this all wasn't that long ago (1975-1979). It reminds me of how far Cambodia has come in such a short time.
We also went on some hikes around mountains and caves which I wasn't a huge fan of. I really don't care for caves. I just don't and I don't know why, because everyone else seems to think they're pretty cool. Oh, well.
We also were able to check out some art galleries. Battambang has a really funky, creative side, and is sort of considered the "artist capital" of Cambodia. There are some cool art workshops for kids, too.
Other than that, we pretty much just relaxed and enjoyed being out of busy, loud Phnom Penh!
Back in said Penh, I'm just enjoying the... weather? And good friends and good times before it all ends more quickly than I could have ever imagined! As we head into July, I look forward to a few more small weekend trips around Cambodia to tide me over until my big trip to Indonesia in September and my imminent and epic return to the states!
Love!!!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
To Be Announced
A quick update as we descend into June.... I really can't believe it is June already! Which means only a few more months until my epic return to the US. Official plans for said epic return TO. BE. ANNOUNCED.
June is off to a great start with many events and plans already under way. I had my international playwriting debut as part of a short play festival I helped conceive of and produce with the Phnom Penh Players. The play festival was called, "Life in Limbo," and showcased all original plays by me and other expats living here. It also featured a dance performed by Epic Arts, a disabled dance group based in Kampot, Cambodia. The proceeds from our show went to their organization. It was a really successful night and I'm actually really proud of the work I did with my actors and my script. The whole night ended up being surprisingly low-stress and high-reward! Can't complain about that!
There have been a lot of events, like birthdays, holiday, parties, around Phnom Penh and my friend and I are just soaking them up while we can. I can't believe I will not live here forever. I mean, I can, since it is still shocking that I live here every single day, but, to leave seems equally as shocking. There is so much that I am gaining by moving on, but there is so much that I am leaving behind. Phnom Penh is in my heart. It gets under your skin and before you know it, your heart has opened to Phnom Penh. As much as I may complain about this place, there is something magical here. I can thank Phnom Penh for so much. Good friends, good memories, so many lessons learned. And, I continue to learn and have fun here! Pass me another Angkor beer, will ya?
June is off to a great start with many events and plans already under way. I had my international playwriting debut as part of a short play festival I helped conceive of and produce with the Phnom Penh Players. The play festival was called, "Life in Limbo," and showcased all original plays by me and other expats living here. It also featured a dance performed by Epic Arts, a disabled dance group based in Kampot, Cambodia. The proceeds from our show went to their organization. It was a really successful night and I'm actually really proud of the work I did with my actors and my script. The whole night ended up being surprisingly low-stress and high-reward! Can't complain about that!
There have been a lot of events, like birthdays, holiday, parties, around Phnom Penh and my friend and I are just soaking them up while we can. I can't believe I will not live here forever. I mean, I can, since it is still shocking that I live here every single day, but, to leave seems equally as shocking. There is so much that I am gaining by moving on, but there is so much that I am leaving behind. Phnom Penh is in my heart. It gets under your skin and before you know it, your heart has opened to Phnom Penh. As much as I may complain about this place, there is something magical here. I can thank Phnom Penh for so much. Good friends, good memories, so many lessons learned. And, I continue to learn and have fun here! Pass me another Angkor beer, will ya?
Sunday, May 20, 2012
May in Cambodia
Hello again! A quick update of events in May... recently recovering/cleaning up from my brother Wolfie's visit. He was here for nearly 2 weeks, and in that short time we managed to squeeze in some amazing nights in Phnom Penh as well as a trip to Siem Reap and a trip to Sihanoukville and Bamboo Island (Koh Ru).
Siem Reap is always pretty fun, and I was happy to see all the temples again, having only seen them once back in October. They are still so ridiculously beautiful! The only downside to the trip was Wolfie was here in the height of the hell-ish hot season, and walking long walks in the blazing sun to see ancient ruins is about as fun as it sounds... Overall it was a fun short getaway.
We had only one night there because I wanted to stay in Phnom Penh over a weekend for another Khmer wedding. This one did NOT live up to our expectation because there was no alcohol at this wedding. Not to say an event is only fun with unlimited booze, but the free-flowing beverages are sort of a staple of a Khmer wedding, and seeing old Khmer men drunkenly dance is half (or all) of the fun! So, unfortunately, the weddings of Cambodia I so hyped up to my brother ended up being unimpressive. Oh, well.
Wolfie was able to spend a few days exploring Phnom Penh on his own while I was at work. He saw the usual tourists sites. He was also able to meet my students, who are obsessed with him, and also play with the kids from SFODA orphanage. He brought lots of clothes and dolls for the children at SFODA and they were really excited.
We had a long weekend (Cambodian national holiday for the King's Birthday), so we headed straight for the beach! Lying in the sand, drinking Angkor beer, and ... well, that was about it. I never get tired of Sihanoukville's fun and crazy beaches. Since we had a long weekend, we all took a ferry to Bamboo Island, a deserted island that could only be called Paradise. It was like someone dreamt up this fantasy, dream land and then realized, it does exist! Bamboo huts, soft light sand, salty water, coconut trees everywhere. We slept in hammocks and bamboo huts. It was out of this world. The weather wasn't so great due to the sudden return of monsoon rains. They took away the heat, thank goodness, but brought intense rain. The ferry rides to and from the island were the stuff of horror movies... like drown in the water tsunami horror movies... BUT, we made it back alive with enough time to spare so Wolfie didn't miss his international flight home! He's gone now and I'm just settling back into routine life.
My contract ends in September and I'm looking at the next chapter. Going to miss Phnom Penh and my life here but also of course excited for the next challenge! Coming up for me is my international playwrighting debut with the Phnom Penh Players! A short play of mine, entitled, "Carnival Games," will be presented at a short play festival I'm co-producing. I am excited to reach one of my goals for my time in Phnom Penh, which was to put up at least one play of mine. Gotta keep up my career and my writing! And, ya know, party at the beach and relax in this heat and rain. ;)
Until next time, enjoy the last bits of cold weather you may be experiencing by remembering how jealous I am of any temperature below 85 degrees....
Siem Reap is always pretty fun, and I was happy to see all the temples again, having only seen them once back in October. They are still so ridiculously beautiful! The only downside to the trip was Wolfie was here in the height of the hell-ish hot season, and walking long walks in the blazing sun to see ancient ruins is about as fun as it sounds... Overall it was a fun short getaway.
We had only one night there because I wanted to stay in Phnom Penh over a weekend for another Khmer wedding. This one did NOT live up to our expectation because there was no alcohol at this wedding. Not to say an event is only fun with unlimited booze, but the free-flowing beverages are sort of a staple of a Khmer wedding, and seeing old Khmer men drunkenly dance is half (or all) of the fun! So, unfortunately, the weddings of Cambodia I so hyped up to my brother ended up being unimpressive. Oh, well.
Wolfie was able to spend a few days exploring Phnom Penh on his own while I was at work. He saw the usual tourists sites. He was also able to meet my students, who are obsessed with him, and also play with the kids from SFODA orphanage. He brought lots of clothes and dolls for the children at SFODA and they were really excited.
We had a long weekend (Cambodian national holiday for the King's Birthday), so we headed straight for the beach! Lying in the sand, drinking Angkor beer, and ... well, that was about it. I never get tired of Sihanoukville's fun and crazy beaches. Since we had a long weekend, we all took a ferry to Bamboo Island, a deserted island that could only be called Paradise. It was like someone dreamt up this fantasy, dream land and then realized, it does exist! Bamboo huts, soft light sand, salty water, coconut trees everywhere. We slept in hammocks and bamboo huts. It was out of this world. The weather wasn't so great due to the sudden return of monsoon rains. They took away the heat, thank goodness, but brought intense rain. The ferry rides to and from the island were the stuff of horror movies... like drown in the water tsunami horror movies... BUT, we made it back alive with enough time to spare so Wolfie didn't miss his international flight home! He's gone now and I'm just settling back into routine life.
My contract ends in September and I'm looking at the next chapter. Going to miss Phnom Penh and my life here but also of course excited for the next challenge! Coming up for me is my international playwrighting debut with the Phnom Penh Players! A short play of mine, entitled, "Carnival Games," will be presented at a short play festival I'm co-producing. I am excited to reach one of my goals for my time in Phnom Penh, which was to put up at least one play of mine. Gotta keep up my career and my writing! And, ya know, party at the beach and relax in this heat and rain. ;)
Until next time, enjoy the last bits of cold weather you may be experiencing by remembering how jealous I am of any temperature below 85 degrees....
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