Well, I am definitely settled in to my PST site! Three days ago I was recovering from the worst bowl malfunction that I’ve ever experienced. The after-effects alone dictated the necessity of a roll of toilet paper and hand sanitizer as constant companions wherever I decided to go; school, training, the kitchen, etc. As such I decided the best idea was to have a roll and bottle in my backpack at all times, as well as some in my room. But I digress. On Wednesday I was coming back via ‘marshuka’ from our ‘HUB’ day (it’s a day when every PCT gets together for long lectures on obvious things [safety, health, how Peace Corps still hasn’t gotten our ID’s ready yet, etc.] that waste a majority of the day…but it’s a great chance to socialize with people other than the folks at my training site whom I see every damn day, so it’s pretty cool:) when one of my friends recognized my Apa (host-mother) in the back. Evidently she was coming back from a shopping excursion in Kant, the same place where we have HUB day, and offered to pay the taxi fare for me and two other people that live near me to get back home.
--note: I live in Station Ivanovka, Ivanovka is the main town that has the marshuka connection to ‘the big city’ Kant. It costs 10 com (about 33 cents) to get from Station Ivanovka (it’s a town around a train station) to Ivanovka via taxi, then another 20 com (about 70 cents) to get from Ivanovka to Kant via marshuka. Then the same back, but in reverse.
Once we got back to Station Ivanovka my Apa insisted that all three of us accompany her to a local ‘magazine’ (shop). There she made it clear that we were all to drink vodka to my health. Keep in mind this local magazine is like 1/8th the size of a small 7-11 back home, and individually owned/operated. She then proceeded to buy a 1/5 of vodka, a giant can of mackerel, and four giant pieces of pita bread, then she asked the ladies behind the counter for a knife to open the can with and cups for our vodka. She was also so kind as to get my friends and me some juice-boxes because we’re weak Americans and have a hard time drinking our vodka straight. Meanwhile old lady’s are coming in and buying their vodka and pita bread while trying to work their way around us…we were honestly taking up over half the available customer space, but no one seemed to care! Over the next twenty minutes (she was pouring double shots for everyone…it’s the only way they drink their vodka here!) we finished the bottle of vodka, ate mackerel and pita bread sandwiches, chased our drinks with juice boxes and gave many toasts in broken Kyrgyz. We were in this tiny shop the entire time, with the shop ladies smiling kindly from the other side of the drink cooler my Apa was using as a cutting board/bar!
The weather here has been a little crazy over the past week and has alternated between raining at 55 degrees and sunny with no clouds at around 100 degrees. In the time we were in the shop it went from being slightly cloudy (you know, Seattle year-round) to a torrential downpour! Well, my Apa wasn’t about to let our heads get wet on our walk home, so she asked the shop ladies for some plastic bags, which she cut open with the knife she used on the mackerel to make little hats for us to wear on our walk back in the rain. Unbelievable. Here I am, trying my damn hardest not to shit my pants, I’m full of mackerel and vodka (roughly 6+ shots worth in 20 minutes…so I’m definitely drunk) and I’m walking home with my Apa and two of my friends wearing plastic bags on our heads. These plastic bags are so thin, however, that the only purpose they really serve is as water soakers that condense the rain into pools that then drop in full force straight down my shirt collar. What a sight!
Luckily after a night of gut-wrenching lack of sleep, I actually did recover and am doing just fine as of the writing of this blog. This is just one of countless stories that seem to happen out of nowhere here!
I’ve had a great time at Ivanovka Station thus far and between swimming in the river, collecting water on my host brother’s motorcycle, and playing pick-up games of soccer with the neighborhood kids I’m really going to miss it when it does come time for me to leave for my permanent site. Luckily I can take solace in the fact that I’ve got two more months of what will surely be more random local happenings to keep things interesting and you, my loyal reader, ever the more intrigued.
31 July 2008
18 July 2008
How to send me letters, packages, gossip magazines, candy, porn...etc.
This is taken from an e-mail sent by my "country desk" officer. It details exactly how to send letters and packages to me DURING MY THREE MONTHS OF TRAINING (after training--end of September--I'll have a completely different address, and it takes a little over a month for anything to get to me--FYI)
At the post office: The U.S. Postal Service uses the name Kyrgyzstan. The country names “Kyrgyz Republic” and “Kyrgyzstan” are interchangeable and are equally recognized. You may need to clarify to the postal clerk that the package is to be sent to Kyrgyzstan. Airmail delivery of letters and packages generally take between 4-10 days. Your post office will be able to assist in determining a reliable and cost-effective way of shipping items to the Trainee.
A note on sending packages: Please be sure to seal all packages with strong packing tape. Insuring the package may discourage tampering and pilfering. Unfortunately, from time to time Peace Corps Trainees and Volunteers have found that their packages have been tampered with, opened, and/or pilfered of the items inside. PC/Kyrgyz Republic cannot be held responsible for damaged or open packages.
For example: A letter to Trainee James Swift would have the following address (but instead of being one on top of the other, they should be clearly divided next to each other--English on the left, Cyrillic on the right--I just can't figure out how to format them like that for this blog posting...sorry)
KYRGYZSTAN
722140 Kant City
Lenina 97, RUPS
P.O. Box 22
ATTN: JAMES SWIFT
Кыргызстан
722140 г. Кант
ул. Ленина 97, РУПС
а/я 22
Please remember to put the Trainee’s name on the envelope or package to ensure delivery.
ALSO! BECAUSE CORRUPTION IS SO RAMPANT, THE ONLY WAY TO POSSIBLY ENSURE DELIVERY WITHOUT TAMPERING IS TO PUT THE MUSLIM CRESCENT MOON AND STAR ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE/PACKAGE. DISPLAY IT PROMINENTLY!!! --Just do a Google image search for "muslim crescent moon and star" and you'll see what to put on there:)
This is, of course, assuming you have any interest in sending me anything other than your well wishes and good karma...which is CERTAINLY appreciated:)
Thanks!
At the post office: The U.S. Postal Service uses the name Kyrgyzstan. The country names “Kyrgyz Republic” and “Kyrgyzstan” are interchangeable and are equally recognized. You may need to clarify to the postal clerk that the package is to be sent to Kyrgyzstan. Airmail delivery of letters and packages generally take between 4-10 days. Your post office will be able to assist in determining a reliable and cost-effective way of shipping items to the Trainee.
A note on sending packages: Please be sure to seal all packages with strong packing tape. Insuring the package may discourage tampering and pilfering. Unfortunately, from time to time Peace Corps Trainees and Volunteers have found that their packages have been tampered with, opened, and/or pilfered of the items inside. PC/Kyrgyz Republic cannot be held responsible for damaged or open packages.
For example: A letter to Trainee James Swift would have the following address (but instead of being one on top of the other, they should be clearly divided next to each other--English on the left, Cyrillic on the right--I just can't figure out how to format them like that for this blog posting...sorry)
KYRGYZSTAN
722140 Kant City
Lenina 97, RUPS
P.O. Box 22
ATTN: JAMES SWIFT
Кыргызстан
722140 г. Кант
ул. Ленина 97, РУПС
а/я 22
Please remember to put the Trainee’s name on the envelope or package to ensure delivery.
ALSO! BECAUSE CORRUPTION IS SO RAMPANT, THE ONLY WAY TO POSSIBLY ENSURE DELIVERY WITHOUT TAMPERING IS TO PUT THE MUSLIM CRESCENT MOON AND STAR ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE/PACKAGE. DISPLAY IT PROMINENTLY!!! --Just do a Google image search for "muslim crescent moon and star" and you'll see what to put on there:)
This is, of course, assuming you have any interest in sending me anything other than your well wishes and good karma...which is CERTAINLY appreciated:)
Thanks!
PST placement and host family adventures...
Well, I’ve been living in Станция Ивановка (Ivanovka Station) now for about a week and am still having a blast! My Kyrgyz language lessons are coming along quite well when I have my books in front of me, but when speaking I’m still limited to жакшы, рахмат, and каечиресиз (good/hello [jakshay], thank you [rakchmat], and sorry [catch-er-isis) but I feel like with the progress I’ve made in my understanding of Kyrgyz grammar the speaking will come along soon enoughJ Ivanovka Station is by far the least scenic of the various PST (pre-service training) stations in the area, but with that said it is still incredibly beautiful! The people here are so warm and friendly and the Kyrgyz mountains that I can see every day I walk to class are so big (honestly they put the Cascades to shame) they take over the sky in front of me even though they’re about 10km away! It’s extremely hot here right now. Every day has averaged about 95+ of dry heat, but there are a few signs that it might be letting up. Last night Kristen’s host mother, or ‘apa’ as we call them all (‘ata’ for host fathers) invited my apa and me over for “guesting” at her place. Guesting basically means you’re treated like a king with more food than you can possibly eat forced upon you and more vodka served than you thought humanely (yes, humanely) possible; then about mid-way though our four hour guesting it rained. Granted, it rained for about 20 seconds but there hasn’t even been a single cloud in the sky since I’ve been here so hopefully the weather will be cooling down a bit soon.
PST is coming along well…though I can’t wait to be done with it and it’s only the second week. They do too much hand-holding for my taste. Those of you that know me know that I am by nature extremely independent (too much so, according to my mother) and being required to dress a certain way, do certain things and have permission for everything is tiresome to say the least. But, I was speaking to a K-14 (I’m K-16) who’s service is up in September about it and he said that once I’m placed at my permanent site not only does the hand-holding stop but they pretty much leave you alone altogether…just 10 more weeks…just 10 more weeks…
I know I mentioned something similar in my last blog posting, but I am still surprised at how adjusted to this I already feel. I know that I’m still experiencing the ‘high’ that comes with travel and living in another culture—I experienced the same thing when I studied abroad in Perugia, Italy, and I know this will be followed by a ‘down-turn’ so to speak. However, after working in a law firm for the past 2 ½ years, and for 8 years before that being so focused on “the future”, finally being thrust into a situation where I’m literally living day-to-day with nothing to concern me except day-to-day activities is incredibly liberating! When I was working at Williams Kastner I was constantly reminded of what day it was, what time it was, and what I had to get done by when. Not that it was necessarily a ‘bad’ thing, but I feel that my daily personal life was sacrificed at the expense of a generous pay check. Now, I’ve decided to sacrifice the generous pay check for the ability to live my personal life day-to-day…not a bad deal, in my opinionJ
Kyrgyzstan is amazing. I’m reminded of that fact every single day I’ve been here. The weather is great (though too hot right now), the people are beautiful, the scenery is gorgeous and the food is amazing! Also, outhouses are not nearly as bad as I feared, and already everyone in my group is becoming somewhat of an outhouse connoisseur. For instance, mine has a wobbly board on the left and is just a big hole, whereas Jonathan’s is brand new, has solid footing and a very nice discrete hole. Though Kristen’s is not as nice as mine she at least has a door that closes properly, and Jenna’s has more open air at the top. I think I definitely drew the short straw with my outhouse, but even still it’s really no different than squatting in the woods. I think that when I’m done with this I’m going to write a definitive piece of literature on the topic of outhousesJ Also, the sun-shower is still the most amazing part of this whole experience. Showering outside is incredible, and with the sun on your face it’s almost heavenly…honestly, if you can get away with it, I sincerely recommend trying it!
My host family is awesome! It’s me, Apa, Erchayim (she’s 22), Tonya (she’s 20) and Adi (he’s 17). On Sunday I helped Adi with some yard work, and then we drove his motorcycle with side-cart up to the water-pump station to fill up three giant jugs of water for use at home. Unfortunately they don’t have running water in Ivanovka so we have to get it from a pump about 4 miles away…but that just means I get to ride on the back of a motorcycle that was probably built in the 1950’s, whipping around turns with a side-cart that’s always threatening to tip us over, while holding on to my host brother who’s ultimately only trying to show off how fast he can go without killing both of us. I love the Peace CorpsJ
Also, the beer here is phenomenal! They don’t have the same quality control that America has, so they can get away with so much more! For instance, they’ve got this beer called “Baltica” that ranges from #1 - #11…#1 is practically non-alcoholic, while #11 will knock your teeth out (it’s roughly 17%)! After much experimentation with Jonathan and Joe (yeah, Jonathan, Joe and James…it’s a sitcom waiting to happen) we’ve concluded that Baltica 8 is the best and actually better tasting than ANY major American brand. They’ve also got this beer called Piva, that’s about 5% but comes in a 2 liter plastic bottle (that’s about four beers in one) and only costs 53c (Som) which is roughly $1.25…Baltica 8 is 35c which is about $1 for a 22oz. glass bottle. The vodka is amazing too. I was really worried about it before I got here because I’ve never really liked vodka, but what they’ve got here is amazing! Take the top shelf Vodka in any American bar and you’ll likely get something that would be considered mid to low range here. Seriously, I’m completely convertedJ
That basically sums up what I’ve got going on right now. Today is “HUB” day, which means ALL the Peace Corps trainees get together in Kant (in Kyrgyz it’s pronounced ‘cunt’…I think I have way too much fun with that oneJ) for medical and technical training. HUB days are every Wednesday in Kant (ha ha ha) and it’s really just a great excuse to see everyone again. All 62 of us got really close during Staging in Philadelphia and Orientation in Bishkek, so now that we’re in our smaller groups (about 5-8 people per location) everyone really misses everyone else. I can already tell that HUB days are probably what I’m going to be looking forward to the most during these next 10 weeks.
That’s it for now…again, I’m actually paying to use the internet so I’ve got to keep this short and sweet. Rest assured o loyal reader, more stories are yet to comeJ
PST is coming along well…though I can’t wait to be done with it and it’s only the second week. They do too much hand-holding for my taste. Those of you that know me know that I am by nature extremely independent (too much so, according to my mother) and being required to dress a certain way, do certain things and have permission for everything is tiresome to say the least. But, I was speaking to a K-14 (I’m K-16) who’s service is up in September about it and he said that once I’m placed at my permanent site not only does the hand-holding stop but they pretty much leave you alone altogether…just 10 more weeks…just 10 more weeks…
I know I mentioned something similar in my last blog posting, but I am still surprised at how adjusted to this I already feel. I know that I’m still experiencing the ‘high’ that comes with travel and living in another culture—I experienced the same thing when I studied abroad in Perugia, Italy, and I know this will be followed by a ‘down-turn’ so to speak. However, after working in a law firm for the past 2 ½ years, and for 8 years before that being so focused on “the future”, finally being thrust into a situation where I’m literally living day-to-day with nothing to concern me except day-to-day activities is incredibly liberating! When I was working at Williams Kastner I was constantly reminded of what day it was, what time it was, and what I had to get done by when. Not that it was necessarily a ‘bad’ thing, but I feel that my daily personal life was sacrificed at the expense of a generous pay check. Now, I’ve decided to sacrifice the generous pay check for the ability to live my personal life day-to-day…not a bad deal, in my opinionJ
Kyrgyzstan is amazing. I’m reminded of that fact every single day I’ve been here. The weather is great (though too hot right now), the people are beautiful, the scenery is gorgeous and the food is amazing! Also, outhouses are not nearly as bad as I feared, and already everyone in my group is becoming somewhat of an outhouse connoisseur. For instance, mine has a wobbly board on the left and is just a big hole, whereas Jonathan’s is brand new, has solid footing and a very nice discrete hole. Though Kristen’s is not as nice as mine she at least has a door that closes properly, and Jenna’s has more open air at the top. I think I definitely drew the short straw with my outhouse, but even still it’s really no different than squatting in the woods. I think that when I’m done with this I’m going to write a definitive piece of literature on the topic of outhousesJ Also, the sun-shower is still the most amazing part of this whole experience. Showering outside is incredible, and with the sun on your face it’s almost heavenly…honestly, if you can get away with it, I sincerely recommend trying it!
My host family is awesome! It’s me, Apa, Erchayim (she’s 22), Tonya (she’s 20) and Adi (he’s 17). On Sunday I helped Adi with some yard work, and then we drove his motorcycle with side-cart up to the water-pump station to fill up three giant jugs of water for use at home. Unfortunately they don’t have running water in Ivanovka so we have to get it from a pump about 4 miles away…but that just means I get to ride on the back of a motorcycle that was probably built in the 1950’s, whipping around turns with a side-cart that’s always threatening to tip us over, while holding on to my host brother who’s ultimately only trying to show off how fast he can go without killing both of us. I love the Peace CorpsJ
Also, the beer here is phenomenal! They don’t have the same quality control that America has, so they can get away with so much more! For instance, they’ve got this beer called “Baltica” that ranges from #1 - #11…#1 is practically non-alcoholic, while #11 will knock your teeth out (it’s roughly 17%)! After much experimentation with Jonathan and Joe (yeah, Jonathan, Joe and James…it’s a sitcom waiting to happen) we’ve concluded that Baltica 8 is the best and actually better tasting than ANY major American brand. They’ve also got this beer called Piva, that’s about 5% but comes in a 2 liter plastic bottle (that’s about four beers in one) and only costs 53c (Som) which is roughly $1.25…Baltica 8 is 35c which is about $1 for a 22oz. glass bottle. The vodka is amazing too. I was really worried about it before I got here because I’ve never really liked vodka, but what they’ve got here is amazing! Take the top shelf Vodka in any American bar and you’ll likely get something that would be considered mid to low range here. Seriously, I’m completely convertedJ
That basically sums up what I’ve got going on right now. Today is “HUB” day, which means ALL the Peace Corps trainees get together in Kant (in Kyrgyz it’s pronounced ‘cunt’…I think I have way too much fun with that oneJ) for medical and technical training. HUB days are every Wednesday in Kant (ha ha ha) and it’s really just a great excuse to see everyone again. All 62 of us got really close during Staging in Philadelphia and Orientation in Bishkek, so now that we’re in our smaller groups (about 5-8 people per location) everyone really misses everyone else. I can already tell that HUB days are probably what I’m going to be looking forward to the most during these next 10 weeks.
That’s it for now…again, I’m actually paying to use the internet so I’ve got to keep this short and sweet. Rest assured o loyal reader, more stories are yet to comeJ
08 July 2008
In Kyrgyzstan!!!
I am writing this in an internet cafe in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. So far, this has been an amazing experience. All 62 people in my group are amazing! In such a short while (about a week) we've all really bonded, and there's quite a few people that I know I will be friends with for the rest of my life. That's an odd statement to make after such a brief period of time, but there's something about being thrown into the fire together that really brings people together immediately:)
Training is intense and long, but very very good. I found out that I'll be learning the Kyrgyz language, and have already made quite a bit of progress in it which is encouraging. Also, today (Wednesday 7/9/08) I meet and move in with my host family! I'm going to be in Ivanaka Station in the south about an hour long Marshuka ride from the big city of Kant. Marshuka's are crazy by the way...the drivers are nuts and everyone stands. Imagine an old VW bus with all of the seats ripped out and you'll get the right image. So much fun though:)
I'll be starting my PST (pre-service training) tomorrow and will go through it for the next three months while living with my PST host family. After training I'll move in with a different host family at my permenant site and start working!
Kyrgyzstan is a beautiful country. It's got high green mountains and low valleys. Every day so far it's been sunny and about 90+ degrees outside, so it's a little tough for my British skin to get used to but I'm managing:)
Behind me in this internet cafe is a crazy Russian dude listening to Michael Jackson loudly and on shuffle...where else in the world would that be going on!!?? I miss all of my friends back home, but now that I'm actually doing what I've talked about for the past few years I really don't think I'll be home in Seattle for a very long time. Some of my friends here have already been talking about post COS (close of service...everything is in acronyms here) we're going to take a massive trip (no planes) through Mongolia, China, Thailand, Cambodia, The Phillipines and India. Sorry;)
For those of you that are reading this, thank you. I miss everyone but trust that I'm having the absolute time of my life! All of the stress of leaving is just a distant memory and I'm living in the present moment for the first time in my life. It feels amazing. I know now beyond a shadow of a doubt that I made the right decision and I know that this is going to be the start of some more crazy adventures!
As soon as I figure out how to post pictures I'll post all of the crazy pictures of my staging event in Philadelphia (we all partied every night...what better way to bond?), the crazy layover in Istanbul, Turkey and all of the shinanigans we've been getting into here in Kyrgyzstan. The people here are incredible. They're beautiful and warm, friendly and genuine. Honestly it's a bit of a shock at first, but once you get used to it there really is no better way to be.
Hopefully when I do make it back to America I'll be able to take some of that with me.
Sorry for such a short post but it's 35 som per hour and I'm quickly running out of time. Also, as soon as I get a cell phone over here I'll post my cell phone number so you can text me and/or call me (it's expensive, but how cool would that be?;)
Training is intense and long, but very very good. I found out that I'll be learning the Kyrgyz language, and have already made quite a bit of progress in it which is encouraging. Also, today (Wednesday 7/9/08) I meet and move in with my host family! I'm going to be in Ivanaka Station in the south about an hour long Marshuka ride from the big city of Kant. Marshuka's are crazy by the way...the drivers are nuts and everyone stands. Imagine an old VW bus with all of the seats ripped out and you'll get the right image. So much fun though:)
I'll be starting my PST (pre-service training) tomorrow and will go through it for the next three months while living with my PST host family. After training I'll move in with a different host family at my permenant site and start working!
Kyrgyzstan is a beautiful country. It's got high green mountains and low valleys. Every day so far it's been sunny and about 90+ degrees outside, so it's a little tough for my British skin to get used to but I'm managing:)
Behind me in this internet cafe is a crazy Russian dude listening to Michael Jackson loudly and on shuffle...where else in the world would that be going on!!?? I miss all of my friends back home, but now that I'm actually doing what I've talked about for the past few years I really don't think I'll be home in Seattle for a very long time. Some of my friends here have already been talking about post COS (close of service...everything is in acronyms here) we're going to take a massive trip (no planes) through Mongolia, China, Thailand, Cambodia, The Phillipines and India. Sorry;)
For those of you that are reading this, thank you. I miss everyone but trust that I'm having the absolute time of my life! All of the stress of leaving is just a distant memory and I'm living in the present moment for the first time in my life. It feels amazing. I know now beyond a shadow of a doubt that I made the right decision and I know that this is going to be the start of some more crazy adventures!
As soon as I figure out how to post pictures I'll post all of the crazy pictures of my staging event in Philadelphia (we all partied every night...what better way to bond?), the crazy layover in Istanbul, Turkey and all of the shinanigans we've been getting into here in Kyrgyzstan. The people here are incredible. They're beautiful and warm, friendly and genuine. Honestly it's a bit of a shock at first, but once you get used to it there really is no better way to be.
Hopefully when I do make it back to America I'll be able to take some of that with me.
Sorry for such a short post but it's 35 som per hour and I'm quickly running out of time. Also, as soon as I get a cell phone over here I'll post my cell phone number so you can text me and/or call me (it's expensive, but how cool would that be?;)
28 June 2008
Back from Western Travels...time to move Eastward!
I had an amazing trip. Too many stories to tell, too many places visited and far too many drinks consumed have made this one extremely difficult blog post...but I'll try my best:) After Chicago I went to England where I connected (I was about to type re-connected, but that would imply a prior connection) with my paternal grandparents, my paternal Aunt, her husband and their daughters--or rather, my cousins. That was actually the highlight of my trip, connecting with people I didn't know yet are my family. It could have been quite an awkward endeavour but luckily we're all related so we're all fairly gifted with gab. That's just one of many comparisons and similarities I could draw between our like personalities based solely on the briefest of encounters. Incredible. I will sincerely try to make it back to London after my service in the Peace Corps to solidify those relationships.
The following weekend I left for Amsterdam. I know, I know...Amsterdam. The first thoughts that come to the American mind are glutenous indulgence in sexual and/or narcotic activities, and I can assure you none (well maybe a wee dose of the latter) transpired. I continue to hold the same opinion of prostitution that I had before: good to have as an option for those that care to use their 'services', but certainly not for me. I had been to Amsterdam once before when I was nineteen. On Spring Break. With three of my fraternity brothers. Even then none of us consorted with the ladies-of-the-night...though the medicinal use of natures green herb was used to an excess I'm sure no one's doctor would recommend:) However, this time in Amsterdam was different. It was refreshing. Not only was I staying a comfortable distance away from the center, but I had a personal Dutch guide to show me the 'real' Amsterdam. Jonathan and I met during my study abroad in Perugia, Italy and have luckily remained in contact these three years later so he was an invaluable resource in my re-discovery of what is truly one of the prettiest and nicest of European cities. We got a chance to bike-ride along all of the canals and tour the best parts of the city. Plus he introduced me to the best coffeeshops Amsterdam has to offer, as well as their various wares-which really should be introduced to our fine culture; if only temperance was a virtue America held dear, as the Dutch so do...but that's neither here nor there.
I digress...following my Amsterdam tour-de-farce I made my way back to beautiful London-town!! London is an amazing city with a seemingly endless amount of activity to offer. I got a chance to see Royal Ascot as well as Taste of London (as a VIP, I might add) and partied with beautiful people in beautiful clothes drinking beautiful drinks on a beautiful deck in the heart of the city. Have I hammered the point home? Good...too many stories to tell individually, but believe me it was incredible.
Post London I had a brief respite from my travels in Seattle, before I made my way to L.A. Well, Hollywood to be exact. There I met up with my friend who works in the industry and met two guys who are leads in a popular sitcom and we partied all. night. long. Quite the Hollywood experience, and certainly one I will not be repeating anytime soon, but well worth the hangover:) Post L.A. I went with my friend Justin to Las Vegas. Yes. We had a good time:)
Now I'm home in Woodinville getting last minute preparations going for my epic departure on Wednesday to Kyrgyzstan. It's strange. I'm neither nervous nor excited..and you can see I have still not alleviated my improper application of alliteration--which is a good thing. It means not much has changed. As the clock slowly winds down to my inevitable departure I can't help but feel anything but grateful. Grateful to my friends for letting me stay with them for free in every city I visited, grateful to my newly-met family for being so warm and welcoming, grateful to my family for being so understanding, and yes, grateful even to my gracious former employer whose steady paycheck slowly allowed me to indulge in this month of debauchery.
The next step is Peace Corps. I have no idea what to expect, yet I know myself well enough to know that anything that's thrown at me will easily be coped with. I'm anxious to get over there and start living the life I've been planning for myself for the past three years. I still have no idea what I'll be doing post-service, but right now that's the furthest thing from my thoughts. Now I have packing to consider, gifts (for my host family) to buy, and local friends to have one last horrah with before I leave. Speaking of which, tonight at 9 at Peso's in lower Queen Anne, if anyone's interested:)
For now I leave you hopefully humored, curious, debating whether you gleaned the proper veracity from my ramblings, yet overall I hope I leave you entertained. More stories sure to come, just give me some time to figure out how to work the Kyrgyz' Cyrillic-Alphabet keyboards:)
The following weekend I left for Amsterdam. I know, I know...Amsterdam. The first thoughts that come to the American mind are glutenous indulgence in sexual and/or narcotic activities, and I can assure you none (well maybe a wee dose of the latter) transpired. I continue to hold the same opinion of prostitution that I had before: good to have as an option for those that care to use their 'services', but certainly not for me. I had been to Amsterdam once before when I was nineteen. On Spring Break. With three of my fraternity brothers. Even then none of us consorted with the ladies-of-the-night...though the medicinal use of natures green herb was used to an excess I'm sure no one's doctor would recommend:) However, this time in Amsterdam was different. It was refreshing. Not only was I staying a comfortable distance away from the center, but I had a personal Dutch guide to show me the 'real' Amsterdam. Jonathan and I met during my study abroad in Perugia, Italy and have luckily remained in contact these three years later so he was an invaluable resource in my re-discovery of what is truly one of the prettiest and nicest of European cities. We got a chance to bike-ride along all of the canals and tour the best parts of the city. Plus he introduced me to the best coffeeshops Amsterdam has to offer, as well as their various wares-which really should be introduced to our fine culture; if only temperance was a virtue America held dear, as the Dutch so do...but that's neither here nor there.
I digress...following my Amsterdam tour-de-farce I made my way back to beautiful London-town!! London is an amazing city with a seemingly endless amount of activity to offer. I got a chance to see Royal Ascot as well as Taste of London (as a VIP, I might add) and partied with beautiful people in beautiful clothes drinking beautiful drinks on a beautiful deck in the heart of the city. Have I hammered the point home? Good...too many stories to tell individually, but believe me it was incredible.
Post London I had a brief respite from my travels in Seattle, before I made my way to L.A. Well, Hollywood to be exact. There I met up with my friend who works in the industry and met two guys who are leads in a popular sitcom and we partied all. night. long. Quite the Hollywood experience, and certainly one I will not be repeating anytime soon, but well worth the hangover:) Post L.A. I went with my friend Justin to Las Vegas. Yes. We had a good time:)
Now I'm home in Woodinville getting last minute preparations going for my epic departure on Wednesday to Kyrgyzstan. It's strange. I'm neither nervous nor excited..and you can see I have still not alleviated my improper application of alliteration--which is a good thing. It means not much has changed. As the clock slowly winds down to my inevitable departure I can't help but feel anything but grateful. Grateful to my friends for letting me stay with them for free in every city I visited, grateful to my newly-met family for being so warm and welcoming, grateful to my family for being so understanding, and yes, grateful even to my gracious former employer whose steady paycheck slowly allowed me to indulge in this month of debauchery.
The next step is Peace Corps. I have no idea what to expect, yet I know myself well enough to know that anything that's thrown at me will easily be coped with. I'm anxious to get over there and start living the life I've been planning for myself for the past three years. I still have no idea what I'll be doing post-service, but right now that's the furthest thing from my thoughts. Now I have packing to consider, gifts (for my host family) to buy, and local friends to have one last horrah with before I leave. Speaking of which, tonight at 9 at Peso's in lower Queen Anne, if anyone's interested:)
For now I leave you hopefully humored, curious, debating whether you gleaned the proper veracity from my ramblings, yet overall I hope I leave you entertained. More stories sure to come, just give me some time to figure out how to work the Kyrgyz' Cyrillic-Alphabet keyboards:)
08 June 2008
Chicago
I've been here for two full days now and don't think I've sweated more in my life!! It's been 85+ degrees both days with 378% humidity! At any rate it's been a great trip thus far. I've not only been having a great time staying with my friend Dave but I've also re-connected with, and rehashed a close friendship with my ex girlfriend Ann. All three of us went out Friday and Saturday and have had a great time!
Today Dave and I grabbed some breakfast at The Golden Nugget...the greasiest and simpelest breakfast in Chicago--plus the coffee was horrible, so it was a perfect introduction to mid-west life:) Then we picked Ann up and spent over an hour chatting and laughing at an outdoor cafe before meeting up with Dave's friend Dan. Ann left, so Dave, Dan and I all hopped on some bikes and rode around the city (actually the ENTIRE city...I'll post pics soon) for almost 6 hours. We stopped for a bit at "Blues Fest", a free outdoor music festival then kept riding.
Tomorrow Ann and I are going on an "architecture cruise" that Dave hooked up tickets for, and my flight to London leaves at 9:50.
I've got to cut this post short, there's a rousing game of Halo calling my name, but rest assured o loyal reader--more posts on more travels to follow!!
Today Dave and I grabbed some breakfast at The Golden Nugget...the greasiest and simpelest breakfast in Chicago--plus the coffee was horrible, so it was a perfect introduction to mid-west life:) Then we picked Ann up and spent over an hour chatting and laughing at an outdoor cafe before meeting up with Dave's friend Dan. Ann left, so Dave, Dan and I all hopped on some bikes and rode around the city (actually the ENTIRE city...I'll post pics soon) for almost 6 hours. We stopped for a bit at "Blues Fest", a free outdoor music festival then kept riding.
Tomorrow Ann and I are going on an "architecture cruise" that Dave hooked up tickets for, and my flight to London leaves at 9:50.
I've got to cut this post short, there's a rousing game of Halo calling my name, but rest assured o loyal reader--more posts on more travels to follow!!
05 June 2008
"POPS"
I had such an amazing night with my friend Jessie last night. She and I have been friends now for about a year, but it feels like we've known each other our entire lives. Actually after meeting her brother at a BBQ at my place where I provided some delicious mojitos we all decided that I was the middle child lost at birth. Anyway, I provide this information so that you know how close we are as great friends.
Seeing as I'm leaving for an indefinite period of time she wanted to take me out for a night out with just the two of us. Seeing as she was paying, how could I refuse!? We hit up a couple bars in Bell Town and finally made it to Black Bottle. This place is a trendy/upscale nightspot/bar/restaurant just north of the main action on 1st Ave in Bell Town. It's also the restaurant we ALWAYS find ourselves at whenever we're drunk together:) At any rate, it seemed like the fitting end to what was a really great night between two close friends. At one point in the restaurant we actually couldn't stop laughing for 15 minutes!
Okay, if you've read my past blogs you should know that I don't bring up useless facts without some point and here it is o loyal reader ye, the definition of the title of this piece: when Jessie and I left Black Bottle we were in the highest of spirits and really just loving life and each other. When we passed The Del Ray on 1st there was a homeless man with an empty water jug hanging around his neck that stopped us. "Can I sing you a song?" he asked. "No," we replied, "we really need to get going..." You know, the usual bullshit you give to homeless people that are hassling you. But then he said: "that's okay, would you like to hear a song for free though?" Now, normally one would assume that this was just a ploy for us to take pity on him and give him change anyway, but there was a manner about his physical presence and a look in his eye that was so peaceful and so giving that both of us independently said "yeah, sure..." Then Jessie said "James is joining the Peace Corps, do you have a song about that?" Now this is when he looked at her with his wised eyes and responded with one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. It lasted only about a minute and was played on an empty water jug, but his voice was so spiritual and the words were exactly what I needed to hear...it was quite literally like he was speaking directly to my heart. Yeah, I know...cliche? Sure...but I lived it and I make no apologies in this post; just the facts o loyal reader, just the facts.
When he was through he shook both of our hands and HE WALKED AWAY. We were dumbfounded. I took Jessie by the arm and led her back to my car, but she wasn't ready to go. She was saying (what I was thinking) over and over that we can't just leave him like that! We got back to my car, drove to the nearest ATM and she took out $20. Then we drove back to where we found him but he was gone. As I was turning around Jessie screams "STOP!! I see him!" No sooner have I put my foot on the brake than she's jumping out of the car and running after him. So, of course, I park and follow her on foot. By the time I get to her she's talking to him about something obviously very personal. With tears in her eyes she gives him the $20, and I lead her back to the car after we both give Pop's (the name he gave us) a hug. When we get back in the car Jessie tells me about a homeless person her family took in a long time ago named Pop's who used to paint in water-color...which our Pop's does as well as sing beautiful poetry on the streets of Seattle...
All in all, considering that each of us had only had roughly 5 drinks over the past six to seven hours and were more tired than any hint of inebriation this was one of the most powerful nights I'd had in a long time.
I share because as a spiritual person with no affiliation with any religion or organization my faith was reaffirmed last night. Not only in my own beliefs, but in the human spirit and the truth of the soul.
I read what I just wrote and I can't believe I said that, but there really is no better way to say it so I'm going to let it stand. I'm going to leave this story for all interested parties to read at their leisure and I'm going to remember Pop's and his empty water jug that he turned into the greatest accompaniment to his sung-poetry that anyone could imagine. I shared this amazing experience with my friend Jessie, and no matter how long our absence from each other or distance between us, last night will be something we will both always remember.
I'm sad to leave, but I'm now more hopeful for the future than ever before. It's time to go, I leave for Chicago tomorrow at 2:40, then London on Monday...my life is finally starting to get interesting, but Pop's showed me that it really always was...and hopefully always will be. By the way, I'm also working diligently on my grammar and use of punctuation but I fear that you may have a long wait as learning Russian is now taking up a predominant amount of my time:)
Stay tuned for more, but in the meanwhile if you see Pop's be sure to ask him for a song, because he's got more to give than you have cash to spare. Think about it.
Seeing as I'm leaving for an indefinite period of time she wanted to take me out for a night out with just the two of us. Seeing as she was paying, how could I refuse!? We hit up a couple bars in Bell Town and finally made it to Black Bottle. This place is a trendy/upscale nightspot/bar/restaurant just north of the main action on 1st Ave in Bell Town. It's also the restaurant we ALWAYS find ourselves at whenever we're drunk together:) At any rate, it seemed like the fitting end to what was a really great night between two close friends. At one point in the restaurant we actually couldn't stop laughing for 15 minutes!
Okay, if you've read my past blogs you should know that I don't bring up useless facts without some point and here it is o loyal reader ye, the definition of the title of this piece: when Jessie and I left Black Bottle we were in the highest of spirits and really just loving life and each other. When we passed The Del Ray on 1st there was a homeless man with an empty water jug hanging around his neck that stopped us. "Can I sing you a song?" he asked. "No," we replied, "we really need to get going..." You know, the usual bullshit you give to homeless people that are hassling you. But then he said: "that's okay, would you like to hear a song for free though?" Now, normally one would assume that this was just a ploy for us to take pity on him and give him change anyway, but there was a manner about his physical presence and a look in his eye that was so peaceful and so giving that both of us independently said "yeah, sure..." Then Jessie said "James is joining the Peace Corps, do you have a song about that?" Now this is when he looked at her with his wised eyes and responded with one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. It lasted only about a minute and was played on an empty water jug, but his voice was so spiritual and the words were exactly what I needed to hear...it was quite literally like he was speaking directly to my heart. Yeah, I know...cliche? Sure...but I lived it and I make no apologies in this post; just the facts o loyal reader, just the facts.
When he was through he shook both of our hands and HE WALKED AWAY. We were dumbfounded. I took Jessie by the arm and led her back to my car, but she wasn't ready to go. She was saying (what I was thinking) over and over that we can't just leave him like that! We got back to my car, drove to the nearest ATM and she took out $20. Then we drove back to where we found him but he was gone. As I was turning around Jessie screams "STOP!! I see him!" No sooner have I put my foot on the brake than she's jumping out of the car and running after him. So, of course, I park and follow her on foot. By the time I get to her she's talking to him about something obviously very personal. With tears in her eyes she gives him the $20, and I lead her back to the car after we both give Pop's (the name he gave us) a hug. When we get back in the car Jessie tells me about a homeless person her family took in a long time ago named Pop's who used to paint in water-color...which our Pop's does as well as sing beautiful poetry on the streets of Seattle...
All in all, considering that each of us had only had roughly 5 drinks over the past six to seven hours and were more tired than any hint of inebriation this was one of the most powerful nights I'd had in a long time.
I share because as a spiritual person with no affiliation with any religion or organization my faith was reaffirmed last night. Not only in my own beliefs, but in the human spirit and the truth of the soul.
I read what I just wrote and I can't believe I said that, but there really is no better way to say it so I'm going to let it stand. I'm going to leave this story for all interested parties to read at their leisure and I'm going to remember Pop's and his empty water jug that he turned into the greatest accompaniment to his sung-poetry that anyone could imagine. I shared this amazing experience with my friend Jessie, and no matter how long our absence from each other or distance between us, last night will be something we will both always remember.
I'm sad to leave, but I'm now more hopeful for the future than ever before. It's time to go, I leave for Chicago tomorrow at 2:40, then London on Monday...my life is finally starting to get interesting, but Pop's showed me that it really always was...and hopefully always will be. By the way, I'm also working diligently on my grammar and use of punctuation but I fear that you may have a long wait as learning Russian is now taking up a predominant amount of my time:)
Stay tuned for more, but in the meanwhile if you see Pop's be sure to ask him for a song, because he's got more to give than you have cash to spare. Think about it.
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