asiaodyssey.blogspot.com
Asia odyssey: a trail of red lanterns
http://asiaodyssey.blogspot.com/2008/02/trail-of-red-lanterns.html
A trail of red lanterns. So I'm terribly behind in getting anything up about my trip to China - the government apparently blocks Blogger there, so couldn't do it from Beijing, and got swept into work and life when I got back. Anyway, better late ., I guess. So Beijing, Beijing. It's a cool place. Downright cold, actually. Those Siberian winds are really something. Olympics area - including the Birds Nest. Day Desk got your Japan postcard. Thanks, and we miss you! Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom). Leave...
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Asia odyssey: January 2008
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A glimpse of Africa, and other travels. So I'm a bit behind the times, but my friend Jimmie has finally updated his blog. With some images from Sudan, and I wanted to put a link here for anyone interested in seeing some great photos. Jimmie, a college buddy and photographer extraordinare, is documenting church construction in Sudan for Samaritan's Purse. Read more about his work on his blog. For one thing, Americans have many more fears of pedophilia and other improprieties involving children and strange...
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Asia odyssey: of honest toast
http://asiaodyssey.blogspot.com/2008/11/of-honest-toast.html
Every so often, I stop by a "toast" shop near work for a still-strange, yet occasionally appealing Korean version of a toasted sandwich. It's this odd mix of veggies fried into an egg square, honey-based sauce and American cheese on toast, and I can't exactly call it good, but sometimes it fits the bill. The employees are kept hopping, and I often have to wait a couple minutes for one to turn around before I assiduously deposit my 1,400 won (about 95 cents, these days). I always make sure to have cor...
asiaodyssey.blogspot.com
Asia odyssey: Japan: the Far, Far East
http://asiaodyssey.blogspot.com/2008/02/from-japan.html
Japan: the Far, Far East. The sun was distant as we herded onto the swaying boat, bedecked with the typical Korean blare of colors and patterns, and the lingering smell of stomach acid. On the TV in front of the seats, a muted infomercial for a Hello, Kitty! Using both (though Japan's more prominently). It's not the only thing separating these two Pacific Rim countries. Discovered a hot lemon drink (yum! Checked out the rave-reviewed La Boheme. Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom). Enter your search terms.
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Asia odyssey: February 2008
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Something to nibble on. So there I was, sitting in a cutesy Korean coffeeshop, with fish eating my feet. Mmm, you want coffee and . bread? This place has coffee, tea and bread," Yuni said, pointing to one of the pages. Her English is really pretty great, but there are plenty of times I miss what she's saying or only get part of it, and we hang out in part to trade language practice. Here," she nodded. A few grammar and culture conversations down the line, number 178 was up, and I looked up at the counter...
asiaodyssey.blogspot.com
Asia odyssey: December 2007
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Back on the road again. It's been a whirlwind of a week, and weekend, but here I am in the Incheon (Seoul) airport on Christmas Eve, waiting for my flight to Bali. There's been a 7-hour delay, and I'm missing the two books that didn't make the packing cut something fierce, but honestly I can't remember being more content in months. Then I rambled around in the big city for a few hours, sweet-talking my way into the newsroom of one of the major dailies. Then this morning I met a fellow passenger for my Ba...
asiaodyssey.blogspot.com
Asia odyssey: new adventures
http://asiaodyssey.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-adventures.html
So 9 months later, I'm back with a new round of big updates. During that time, I also did a lot of soul-searching and research for future career paths, and finally settled on a plan to go back to school and work toward a career in international education development. I will at least eventually work in developing countries, and possibly I'll start out that way, but have to weigh several considerations (jobs, money, locations) in timing that. And now I'm off to the big city for a year. Leaving is bitterswe...
asiaodyssey.blogspot.com
Asia odyssey: November 2008
http://asiaodyssey.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html
A student today gave me my favorite bit of Konglish to date: "dog happy," "dog excited" and "dog hungry" - he had just learned "dog tired" and thought it could be expounded into any adjective form (and why not, I say? I think I'm going to make it my personal mission to infect several people's slang with this one. Another good one I ran into today: "Thank you, Mr. Weiss. Everyone please give him big hands." (How the heck is one hand, however big it is, supposed to help you clap, anyway? It's a tidy system...
asiaodyssey.blogspot.com
Asia odyssey: October 2007
http://asiaodyssey.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html
Going abroad this time around is an entirely different experience than my first venture - in many many ways, but particularly because the world is so much more wired now . or at least I am more hip to it. In Korea, I now have an Internet connection in my bedroom AND office AND classroom . and go a little crazy when it goes out. I have two computers and ridiculously cheap phone service right from one - though I don't tend to use it much (sorry! The Billboard Top Ten,. How long pi really is,. To name a few...
asiaodyssey.blogspot.com
Asia odyssey: September 2007
http://asiaodyssey.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html
Where do monks learn to drive? By coincidence, I followed up my metropolitan whirl with something close to Korea's other extreme: a templestay. Monday, some friends and I spent a couple hours on a couple buses to head due east to Golgulsa Temple. Unfortunately one of the many temple dogs - kept to ward off evil spirits - apparently decided I was a demon on the loose, and the two of us managed to rouse an even larger crowd. A sleepy-eyed German (or something like that) emerged on the scene of me stand...