Public Sidewalks

I remember reading in "The Life and Death of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs that public sidewalks are essential to a thriving community. This my friends, Hanoi has in abundance. There is no "sidewalk" to walk on here, it is either a parking spot for motorbikes or a hangout for locals eating pho and drinking sweets. In order for one to walk down the street, one has to weave between the road and the "sidewalk" all the while lifting one's head up occassionally to not get hit by a bike. I miss public sidewalks in Canada! I also remember the noise from the traffic on the streets of Manhattan on top of the Empire State building, I couldn't believe the honks from the taxis travelled so far up! Hanoi definitely beats New York in terms of honking. Usually I sleep through everything, but even I woke up last night to the sounds from the streets at ungodly hours. The constant honking has a way of unnerving me, and coupled with the extreme humidity.

On the otherhand, I am happy to be back on paved roads although I enjoyed the dirt roads in Cambodia. The drive out to Ha Long Bay today was scenic, with rice paddies dotting along the sides of the road, with a growing city in the background. It's just like something from a picture book I tell you. It was also super cool when I suddently remembered that the "incident" at the Gulf of Tonkin that triggered the American War (or Vietnam War, depending which side you are on)...and the tour guide told us that we are there (Ha Long Bay is in the Gulf!). Super super cool and yay for history class in first year.

Interestingly we noticed today that we have not seen a McDonald's or a Starbucks here or in Cambodia, as Tiff says, "where there is Starbucks, there is civilization"...LOL. We had French cuisine for dinner tonight, the most expensive meal for this lag of the trip for sure, and it was good though I must say I am unused to the mashed potatoes and the heavy beef stew after two months of an Asian diet (come on, even the sphagetti bolognaise that I've had here is Asian-y).

A few more days...!

If it weren't for the butterflies over the mounds and the sounds of laughter from the children from the school down the road, I don't know how well I could have stomached the Killing Fields. Reading and even watching documentaries couldn't prepare you for the sight of the pagoda of skulls and the bones and fragments of cloth on the ground, and the flocks of maimed children (three words on my mind: landmines, kids, exhorters) on the streets in front of tourist attractions. Nonetheless, Cambodia is a vibrant country. Having chats with our local tour guides and vendors, especially ones my age, there is a desire and a persistence in this beautiful people to learn and to build their country. Yesterday in the night market in Siem Reap, I noticed that the boy vendor had the same French cahier that I used before in French class so I struck up a conversation. He knew that Canada was bilingual and asked which part of English Canada I was from. Today as we were traveling to Angkor Wat Archeological Park, there were campaign trucks all over the streets for election day this Sunday. Our tour guide was telling us how the young people today learn about democracy. You can't imagine how happy I was to hear that, that the people here want it and are interested. Can you believe our tour guide worked for the UN as a translator for Cambodia''s first elections in 1993? A large part of me is still incredibly saddened by the events of the last thirty years in this country (no one cared!), but looking at the impressive sandstone, still standing wats...reminds me that the Khmer people also had a magnificent past. They had a massive canal system established so early! What happened in the 20th century...And these sculptures that still stand today, I wonder what we will leave behind 1000 years from now, definitely not IKEA furniture. LOL There is nothing like walking through 1000 year old ruins...

On a lighter note, I enjoy Cambodian food much more...because it isn't spicy! Yes I can finally eat curry and I love noodle soup which is everywhere.

We also visited a local NGO the other day in Phnom Penh where kids, many orphans learn dance and performance. I was thinking to myself the whole time...can I do front line development work? Much more appreciation to aid workers and missionaries.

So we did the most dangerous thing on this trip thus far yesterday...we rented 3 motorbikes and went biking around Koh Samui. Seeing that we were done with water sports and had our fair share of lounging, what better way to see the island than weave through traffic like locals? Having learned how to bike a few short years ago and not even having enough guts to go cycling on the street (I always stick to bike paths LOL...oh Lydia...!)...I wasn't driving. Instead I put my life into Tiffany's hands and it went reasonably well. In order to ease both of our tensions, I would talk to Tiffany during our cycle tour. "It's okay Tiffany, the cars and bikes will go around us...slow and steady..." I think it was more for my benefit as well talking it out. Even though we didn't go past 40 km/h it sure felt faster on a bike and I couldn't help but think at every turn...oh man, the sun scorched pavement will hurt on my bare arms and legs. No accidents though and it was cool, though I think I got motion sickness afterwards...that or I was REALLY nervous so that after I got off the bike, I felt pretty nauseous. The only down part of the day was when I tried to bike on a little dirt road. I did manage to succeed for a total of 10 seconds before I fell off and the bike on top of my leg, where it left a very nasty bruise. So...that was $40 Canadian dollars of damage for that little adventure...sigh. At least things including accidents are cheaper in Thailand than Canada. It's like when I was learning to bike, the bike always fell on top of my leg because I would be too heavy handed and try to take off too fast, lose my balanace and blah. Maybe it says as much about my fiery character as it does about my biking skills. Nonetheless, despite the scorching mid-day heat and the sudden torrential downpour, Koh Samiu was so gorgeous as we biked along the beach road...Alvina and Yo faired very well though as our other two drivers. I am sure all the other locals were laughing at our helmets and our turns. Only tourists wear helmets.

We went wave catching the day before on Chewang beach and it was amazing. The tide varies quite a bit but we picked a good day as we would float on our backs or on the floating device (like those plastic blow up futon things) back and forth until we got washed ashore. There is nothing like floating in the ocean and I did again attempt to swim. Seriously though, I don't like the taste of salt water or the stinging feeling on my skin against my insect bites. The clear waters are amazing as usual, and the aqua greens to sigh for - I don't know the next time I would be able to go on a tropical vacation...maybe my honeymoon.

I have been watching more television than I have for years during this trip - MTV, the news, movies, you name it. I feel so out with popular culture and even current events as I would rather read a newspaper than watch the news. It is strangely addicting and I don't know what I would do when I come home. To tv or not to tv? LOL.

Reality begins to hit again as I continue to ponder about housing choices in Toronto. To wait for residence or take another offer with roommies? We watched a few documentary like movies the past few nights, on about (In my country) the end of apartheid in South Africa...and I can't beleive we are going to the Killing Fields in Cambodia! Stepping into real history (and present) still baffles my mind as we visited places that were severely hit by the tsunami, WWII memorial sites of the battle of the Pacific (we never focus much on the Pacific war in our studies in Canada), and the miracle and bust of the Asian Tiger economies. I am lost in amazement sometimes and at other times, I want to completely turn off my brain and just be normal for once like other carefree 22 year olds. More and more I realize that my conception of "development" work (as well as missionary work) is much different in reality than the glamour that I have envisioned in my mind and I doubt my ability to do it. I finished "The Shack" the other day, and it was the timely reminder that yeah...hey, Anna it won't be you...but Him. Good book. Much needed and appreciated God. Thank you.

With about three weeks left in this trip, I want to bask in the present and try best as I can, to stop my mind from spinning into the unknown, the future. In the book, "God" was saying how often we spend the most time in the future, and in a future we imagine that is often without God. How true that is when I think of how I will prepare for graduate school, with little room for God to do his every miracles. So here's to that and so my house finding journey continues.

I miss home, I really do and I really want to pick up a stray cat but my mind keeps saying to me...rabies! The girls are great though, and I am so thankful for this summer. I was telling Jenny and Tiffany how this is the longest time I've hung out with just girls!

Someone's watching over me...

A sunset cruise with island exploring and snorkelling in Koh Phi Phi sounds like a wonderful idea...until the boat stops in the middle of the ocean by random limestone islands and everyone jumps out into the water. Well, that is if you are like me and can't really swim. I don't know how I didn't think about how I would be able to snorkel but the idea really didn't cross my mind. Thus, when a Thai boy (a guide but on his off afternoon) offered to teach me how to snorkel for a can of beer on the boat, I took him up on the offer. I didn't die and the one hour was amazing. I saw this sign that said something like "You think you're a traveller? 70% of the earth is water" and my tiny glimpse of the underwater life was unbelievable, the coral and bright fish, even in the little that I saw, blew my mind and somehow I naturally breathed out of my mouth. A few gulps of salt water and waves tossing me about, with Ti's help, I survived and like I was telling Tiff, somebody really is watching over me...

The next stop was Maya Bay, where the movie "The Beach" was filmed. I think all good things in life must come after a difficult and risky journey because in order to get to the beach, we had to jump out of the boat, swim to this random little hole in the island, while waves pound you against the slippery rocks. Ti literally dragged me along in my life jacket, and I never thought I would make it...so the next time I think something is difficult, I will think about the waters and the amazing white sand at the beach. Seriously, the most breathtaking beach in my life.

A night in a bamboo hut and an elephant ride in Chiang Mai, Thailand has been exciting and it is a wonder how the Thai people do it, living it up like it is everyday while I pray everytime that we will be safe.

My first mini-breakthrough moment today was being able to do the back crawl! Well..my strange non-straight version anyways of doing something resembling rotating shoulders and arms and managing to stay afloat and kicking. Today is swim number five and my favourite pool yet...because it was 1.4 meters the entire way and empty! LOL I guess not that many people swim in resorts at 8am in Phuket.

The girls went diving today and I would love to dive, except for the small detail that I really need to be comfortable being in water that goes over my head. What I did today was purposely go underwater and look around, it is amazing how much better one feels when you can see. Thank God for googles. More and more I am realizing that maybe I am more of an introvert by nature, extrovert by training. I didn't mind being alone today, even though eating by yourself at a restaurant is still a bit funny. I still can't do it without a book at hand.

No matter what continent, not feeling well sucks so I was also glad to just be able to relax today. I didn't realize how stressed my body has become (my period was over 10 days late!!!). Whenever I feel under the weather like now, I miss the comforts of home and the feeling of being taken care for by somebody else.

Phuket is the side of the island that the tsunami hit. Most of the buildings I see are fresh and new. Looking at the deep blues and green hues of this tropical paradise, it is difficult to imagine the wreck the waters brought only a few short years ago. Do you believe in ghosts and spirits? How many lost souls, no one knows. Without tourism, there is no way this town would have been rebuilt so quickly and I think of the regions that maybe aren't so lucky to be blessed by foreigners in this way.

I was saying to the girls yesterday as we boarded the boat for the James Bond Island tour how I wanted to meet a cute boy in Thailand. What do you know but by the end of the day, a cute Thai boy (a bit too dark for me, but cute Thai boy nonetheless) gave me as we were leaving the boat, a rose made out of two straws (red and green). As Tiff and I were talking today, SE Asia has been great for our egos. Already we are taller than most of the girls. LOL. We went "canoeing" Thai style at two of the islands yesteday and it was super cool and great...except for the fact that the whole time I was thinking "I am going to fall off" (it's like this plastic boat with shallow seats not the deep wooden canoes that I'm used to in Canada!) and "damn I can't swim in this open water". Fortunately, no accidents and going to see these limestone caves, with its lonely lagoons and low openings (the tide goes in and out really fast) that we had to lie down flat to get to...was super cool. As was the jellyfish and other of nature's wonders in the waters. Honestly though, I was so nervous and I guess this is the stress my body is finally releasing today. You don't know how scared I was though when we were inside the lagoon and the tide was rising and our guide said that he had two occasions where they had to swim back because the tide was too high for the canoe to get through the opening. That would have been so NOT COOL. Whew.

Twelve more days in Thailand...maybe some morning I will have a breakthrough and suddently be able to do the front crawl with more than two breaths before collapsing. Rhythm, rhythm...

KL is a much more developed city than I imagined. Being my third short trip in KL, I am quickly finding it to be a livable, vibrant city. The power of brand recognition amazes me, even as I walk into convenience stores I don't trust myself to buy products that I don't recognize. The power of marketing eh? Malaysian food is great but I was so happy today in Chinatown with my bowl of wonton noodles. It's the little simple things in life that matter after all. Exploring Chinatown today reminded me of all other Chinatowns in the world that I have visited: San Fran, London, Montreal and the like all with its familiar gaudy red arch and rows of vendors. National pride or no, I couldn't help but feel a surge of "pan-Chinesim". This time, the vendors had cute Malaysian accents and I managed to pick my long coveted brown and tan striped Adidas jacket for 35 ringgets. Fake or not, I like it! The ethnic mix in KL makes the city special and as John pointed out interesting buildings and facts about the city, I marvel at the way the government handled ethnic integration. The consequences from colonialization from Britian, the Second World War (the Pacific War), and migrant workers all contribute to the city's eccletic mix and it is fascinating. I have also never been to a Muslim country, and the architecture and laws of the land reflect it. The grips of theocracy remains as little strands, and it made me realize that gods still rule some lands outside of North America.

As we walk down the streets, even in KL, I feel a little bare with my skirt and tank top. I wonder if the locals stare at us and think of us as blasphemous, girls dressed like this. If my skin was white, at least they would understand, but with my tan, I can easily pass for a SE Asian, except for the way I talk and dress of course.

Two Worlds

Sometimes like this morning, I have strange thougths trying to reconcile the blessings I have through this travel and knowing that I will be heading home in August to re-enter student life (and a very tight student budget). Just for some days like the spa day yesterday, I think about what life would be like if this was the everyday. I watched the Forbes "Top 20 under 25" the other night (as you can tell, I don't watch TV normally or else I wouldn't be so intrigued) and I just can't imagine. To most of the people we have met during our travels, from drivers to our spa therapist to the receptionist, whenever they ask where we are from. The conversation usually moves from surprise that we are Asian but we are Canadaian so a lofty smile. And I feel like wow. We are the chosen and privileged ones to be Canadian. And we are and I don't think I have ever been more proud to be Canadian than during this trip.

Worry
I am trying to not worry about not having secured housing yet for the fall and not really having reliable internet access in the meantime. I guess it's another lesson in faith, kind of like floating on your back for the first time (which by the way, I can totally do now).

Up next...back to KL and than Thailand!