Expatting

May. 17 China, Expat Lifestayle no comments

I’m an expat at the moment in China.  There are a lot of us in China.  I’m not talking about the corporate style expat with a big paycheck and a fancy apartment.  I’m talking blue collar expats.  We are working class, mostly as English teachers.  Most of us don’t have cars or maids and many don’t have anything above the typical Chinese citizen’s level of health insurance.

So who are we?  We are without question a rag tag group of random individuals all here for different reasons.  While I hate to be cliche, I do think that most of us fit into a few general categories.  Here are some typical answers to the inevitable question, “Why are you here?”.

I couldn’t find a job in my home country.

The global economy has been in rough shape over the last few years.  The most common answer to the question of why someone would move to China to live and work is usually straight forward.  They needed a job and China has plenty of them if you meet a few basic requirements.

I’m someone special here.

One of the the allures for some people to working in Asia if you are Caucasian is that you are often treated very well for no particularly good reason.  You are recognized everywhere.  Everyone wants to be your friend.  If you are someone who enjoys the spotlight and have nothing remarkable enough about you to garner it in your homeland, you can often get it effortlessly in Asia.

I have Asian fever.

It’s amazing how many guys, and it’s always guys, will freely admit they are here because it’s easy for them to get a date.   I was initially bothered a bit by this type.  Seriously, you moved halfway across the world so you could feel like hot shit with the ladies?  Now, I’m more at ease with it.  The fact is everyone wants to feel like hot shit.  It’s better than feeling like just regular shit.  If a different continent makes you more attractive to the opposite sex and that makes you happy, then I guess it actually makes perfect sense.

I wanted an adventure.

This is where I feel like I fit in.  I quit my decent job in the states to come here.  I was bored.  I love travel.  China is a huge country with a lot to see.  It was an easy choice for me.   If I’m writing the story of my life, which I am, I’d rather write a chapter where I moved to China than a chapter where I worked at my corporate job that I hated and spent most of my time thinking about what I was going to eat for dinner.

I like it here.

This is the answer you get from some of the long timers.  After a while other reasons begin to fade.  You stay for a year, then it’s two years, then it’s a decade.  You go back to your home country for a visit and want to come right back.  Some people find a home here.  Nothing is keeping them here other than this is where they feel the most comfortable.

Of course everyone has their own variation of the reasons above or maybe something totally different.  Whatever the reason it’s a fascinating mix of people and a big part of the fun of international living is hearing all the twisting paths that lead someone out into the great, big, wide world.

 

 

Tikal: Sounds of the Jungle

May. 08 Archaeological tourism, Central America, Guatemala no comments

It amazes me that so many Americans are eager to travel to Europe, with the long plane ride, jet lag and expense involved to see historical ruins but never bother to see what’s in their own backyard.  The ruins of the Mayan culture found in Central America should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Tikal is located in northern Guatemala.  The easiest way to get there is to fly into Belize City and take a shuttle to Flores and then a taxi into the park.  It will take you most of a day to get there.  The trip is well worth it.  If you’re going to see Tikal, you need to stay in the park.

Three hotels operate in the park.  I stayed at the Hotel Tikal Inn in a bungalow and would highly recommend it.   The park is an easy walk from the hotel and all the meals are provided.  The other thing I highly recommend is the sunrise tour.  Get up super early and hike to the top of one of the step pyramids.  From there, you sit and watch the sunrise.  The day I did this was foggy and the sun was nowhere to be found.  Not having the sunrise to distract me, I could enjoy the real star of the show, the sound of the jungle coming alive.  Listening to the howler monkeys and the macaws was spectacular.

The ruins at Tikal rival many of major sites around the world, including the pyramids at Giza.  You could easy spend several days exploring, but it’s possible to see the major sites in one day.  If you are feeling adventurous and have the time there are a number of other sites to explore in the area.

Have a better trip:

  • If you’ve been traveling in other parts of the world, you might not be prepared for how dangerous Central America can be.  With the narco-traffic related gangs and the influx of guns from the US, use extra caution.  If you can afford it, avoid the local “chicken” buses altogether and travel using the tourist shuttles.

 

  • For your Tikal visit, bring a headlamp, bug spray and a good pair of binoculars.

 

  • At least a basic understanding of Spanish will go a long way.

 

  • Read up on Mayan culture and history to make your visit more meaningful.
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Tikal ruins
Tikal ruins
Tikal ruins
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Tikal wildlife
Tikal ruins
Tikal ruins
Tikal wildlife
Tikal wildlife
Tikal wildlife
Tikal
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Getting Scammed on the Road

Jan. 23 Scams, Travel Advice, Uncategorized no comments

It’s going to happen at some point.  You have a distinct disadvantage.   You don’t speak the language.  You aren’t experienced with the culture.  You are unfamiliar with the currency.  No matter how careful and prepared you are, you can’t know everything.  Below are some common situations you might come across and how to deal with them.

  • Bus & Train stations:  You are new to the location, tired and easy to spot.  Most importantly, you need something.  At the very least you need transportation.  Potentially, you need a place to get something to eat and a place to stay.  All of this makes you the perfect combination of profitable and vulnerable.

 

  • Border Crossings:   Here is another time when you have a weak position that is easily preyed upon.  Visa and other fees are always a part of border crossing.  Additionally the fees in some parts of the world are fluid and vary from one place to another and one day to the next.  This makes it very easy for officials or someone posing as an official to convince you that you owe them something that you don’t.

 

  • Bars:  In sucks to think that someone is watching you and waiting for you to stumble out into the night to take advantage of your dulled wits and slow response time.  Unfortunately, it’s sometimes true.

 

  • Backpackers:  This one might not be as obvious.  You understand the language.  You know the culture.  You actually seek these people out for trusted advice and just to hang out.  Unfortunately, fellow backpackers are every bit as nefarious as any locals might be.  Due to poor planning, bad decision making or the downstream effect of being scammed themselves, some backpackers find themselves in desperate circumstances.  This is usually in form of electronics theft, your camera or your laptop disappears.

So now you know some places and situations when you should be on guard.  How do you protect yourself?

  •  Knowledge is power:  If you are going into a new country have a good idea of what things should cost.  Know the currency conversion well enough to do it in your head.  Do some research on what common scams are in that area.

 

  • The buddy system:  I know that there are a lot of solo travelers out there that do just fine, but I’m a firm believer in the buddy system.  It can help you avoid a lot of unpleasant situations.  Beyond getting home safe from the bar, another set of eyes and ears can help you detect a fishy situation and literally watch your back.

 

  • Always have a plan B:  If you happened to find yourself in the middle of nowhere in a strange country with only the clothes on your back, what would you do?  This will likely never happen to you, but you should think about worst case scenarios, in the context of what you would do and how to avoid them in the first place.

 

  • Read travel forums and share your experiences:  Information on the most current hustles are on travel forums.   If you should fall prey to something, tell your story to help others avoid the same situation.

 

As much as I wish I was still the carefree traveler I was when I took my first few trips, experience has made me cautious.  The fact is that bad things happen to people every day.  It’s up to you to make sure you are not one of those people.

Wadi Rum: A Night with the Bedouins

Dec. 27 Jordan, Middle East 1 comment

Let me start by saying that camels are my favorite pack animals.  They make the most ridiculous faces and noises.  Since I’ve never had to use a camel to do any actual work, I’m endlessly entertained by their grumpy attitude.  You know where there are camels?  Jordan.

Jordan is a fantastic country to visit.  The people are world famous for their hospitality.  The infrastructure is excellent, paved roads, clean food, well lit sidewalks.  I was there in 2011 and had no issue with the unrest associated with the Arab spring.  The only time I was in the vicinity of a protest, I was given the polite advice, “You should go now” and I went.

Wadi Rum is located in the southern part of Jordan, about 2 hours from Petra.  You can arrange to take a shuttle through your guest house.  The shuttle will drop you off at the entrance to the park.  You can book your tour ahead of time, but you will get the best price if you wait until you get to the visitor’s center.  There will be tour guides that will let you know what they are offering and the price.  I joined a group that was doing a one hour camel ride, a 5 stop jeep tour and staying overnight in a Bedouin camp.

The first stop of the trip was to the guide’s house.  Everyone in the group was served hot tea, while the guide and his sons readied the camels.  Next was the camel ride.  This was just a ride a little ways out into the desert and back.  I wouldn’t recommend doing a ride longer than an hour.  The sun is intense and the camel saddles start to get uncomfortable about half way through.   Next was a jeep tour with a cousin of the guide, followed by the overnight stay in the desert hosted by another cousin.  One thing that you’ll notice is that everyone that in the town outside of Wadi Rum is related.

There are several good reasons to stay overnight in the desert.  The sunset is awesome.  The meal served was delicious, traditional Bedouin food.  Afterward the host played music and tried to get everyone to dance.  The highlight for me was the night sky.  The stars are incredible out there.

I also couldn’t help but think about how the Bedouins have been able to keep so much of their traditional nomadic lifestyle intact in the modern age and how things could have been for the Native American people.  I wonder if there had not been such an effort made by European settlers to assimilate them into western culture or isolate them onto reservations if they could have created a system similar to the Bedouins, where they held on to their traditional lifestyle and developed an economy based on tourism.

Tips for success:

  • The sun & heat should be taken seriously.  Bring a hat, scarf & sunglasses and drink plenty of water.
  • The days are hot, but the nights are cold; bring a long sleeve shirt or sweater.
  • It’s the desert so you’ll be walking through sand and gravel.  Hiking boots will make this much more comfortable.
  • Ladies, if you are traveling in the Middle East, I sure you are already aware – conservative clothes are a must.  I’d recommend something long sleeved, wicking with a UPF sun protection like the summer shade tee at Athleta, http://athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=49982&vid=1&pid=826057102.

 

Logistics:

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Dinner at the Bedouin Camp
Sunset
Desert
Desert
A Camel
Camel Ride
The Desert
Camel
Desert
Guide
Camel Fur
Camel
Dinner at the Bedouin Camp
Sunset
Desert
Desert
A Camel
Camel Ride
The Desert
Camel
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Essential Travel Gear: The Day Pack

Dec. 17 Packing List, Product Review no comments

I’ve carried a variety of day packs on different trips.  Here are some things to consider when selecting a day bag:

  • Accessibility – Can you get to your stuff when you are wearing your day pack?
  • Security – What kind of protection does you pack offer?
  • Comfort – Can you comfortably wear you day pack all day?
  • Packability – Can you pack your day pack into your larger luggage?

Here’s a run-down of some of the options and my recommendation.

Messenger bag

Pros:

  • A messenger bag is a more stylish choice for a day bag.
  • You can access you stuff easily.  There are usually multiple compartments to keep things organized.

Cons:

  • It doesn’t pack in to a backpack well.  It will take up a lot of room in your pack if you are moving from place to place and need to carry your full pack often.
  • If you care a large item in your daypack, like a camera, the cross body strap can be uncomfortable and dig into your shoulder.
  • Inhibits movement.  If you are hiking or bicycling, this is not a good option.

Backpack

Pros:

  • You can fit a lot in it.
  • It’s easy to organize your stuff.
  • Comfortable for long term wear & heavy items.
  • You can get them with extra features, like a rain fly or waist strap.

Cons:

  • A backpack is bulky if you need to back it into your other luggage.
  • You have to take off the pack to reach its contents.
  • It could be easy for someone to steal something out of it in a crowded area, by either cutting the bag or unzipping the zipper, because the contents are behind you.

Collapsible bag

Pros:

  • Easily packs into a larger bag.
  • Can hold larger items like a beach towel.

Cons:

  • These are shoulder bags, so they are easy for someone to steal off your shoulder.
  • Usually just one large compartment.
  • Uncomfortable if you are using it for a long day of sightseeing.

Sling pack

Pros:

  • Small & light weight.
  • Packs easily into luggage.
  • Comfortable even for long days or lots of physical activity.
  • Can access your things without taking it off.
  • You can wear in on your front in situations where your worried about security.

Cons:

  • Too small to carry a DSLR camera or large guidebook.

My recommendation:   Combination of the sling pack and collapsible back.  This will cover most bases.  Here’s what I have:

Patagonia Lightweight Travel Sling, $49.00

http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/lightweight-travel-sling?p=48796-0-065

Collapsible Bag:

Top 10 Travel Songs

Dec. 10 Top 10 Lists no comments

The best travel advice I ever received was about music.  Before you go on a trip, pick out a new album.  Listen to it during the trip.  For the rest of your life, when you hear the music from that album, the memories from that trip will come rushing back.  It’s amazing how well this works.  The memories that I’ve been able to attach to songs are more vivid than any others.   Below are my 10 favorite travel songs.

10.  Hotel California – The Eagles

I don’t really like this song.  It’s on this list because it has permeated every location on the backpacking circuit around the world.  I have heard it played in cafes in Panajachel, Cairo, Kathmandu, Bangkok and the list goes on.  I feel like this is a hippie legacy that for some reason won’t go away.

9.  Space Oddity – David Bowie

When you travel, you spend a decent amount of time on airplanes.  Some of the airplanes can be a sketchy, maybe even tin can like.

8.  Society – Eddie Vedder

I listened to the Into the Wild sound track during a long trek in Nepal.  I love all the songs on it.  This one in particular stood out to me at the time.  I was relishing the self-exile from the rest of the world and simplicity of living out of my backpack.

7.  Banana Pancakes – Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson music is part of the backpacking soundtrack especially in Southeast Asia.  Also, I love banana pancakes.

6.  Southern Cross – Crosby, Stills & Nash

This song is a little sentimental, but I’m still adding to the list.  I have found that when you are away from your life it can be easier to understand why you’ve experienced successes or failures.  You have time to reflect.

5.  People Are Strange – The Doors

This one’s self-explanatory.  People are very strange indeed.

4.  Hunter – Bjork

“If travel is searching and home what’s been found…”

3.  Take a Picture – Filter

The lyrics to this song stick in my head for two reasons.  First, I’ve often found myself one of the only people awake on long overnight flights.  Second, photography is one of my favorite things about traveling.  I’ve taken thousands of pictures and they do help me remember.

2.  Paris, Tokyo – Lupe Fiasco

Musicians travel.  So it’s not surprising that there are so many songs about it.  I’ve sung the chorus to this one with a million different combinations of cities.

1.  Lost in the World – Kanye West feat. Bon Iver

I love Kanye.  I love Bon Iver. I love getting lost in the world.

I could go on.  There are so many other great travel songs out there.  What are your favorites?

Sagada: On the Hash Hunt

Dec. 02 Philippines no comments

Just like wine lovers may travel to the Burgundy region of France, lovers of the green herb find themselves similarly seeking out regional specialties.  Sagada in the Luzon region of the Philippines is legendary for its hash.

The journey from Manila to Sagada is an adventure in itself.  The route I took was Manila – Banaue – Sagada.  The trip starts with an overnight bus ride out of Manila.  The bus left at 10:00PM, which meant hanging out at one of the more dicey bus stations that I’ve been in at night.  The bus ride is supposed to be 10-12 hours.  Mine lasted around 16.  The bus driver made a stop to pick up pies at one of the towns and then proceeded to deliver them to houses.  He wasn’t in a hurry.   Due to the long bus ride, the jeepney that runs from Banaue to Sagada had already left for the day.  So I had to take a private car.

The three hour ride from Banaue to Sagada is one of those experiences that is seared into my brain.  It was terrifying.   The road was narrow, the turns were sharp and blind and the drop offs were sheer.  There were rock slides and washouts every 50 feet or so.  My driver was a teenage boy that had to ask for directions on how to get to Sagada.  He had never driven that road before.  Once I arrived in Sagada I had been traveling, including the flight in, for 29 hours without a break.

Sagada is a beautiful place.  Unlike a lot of the Philippines, the air is cool and clean.  There are good food choices, the people are friendly and everything is cheap.  The hash is plentiful and good quality.  One word of caution – the locals recommend you eat it and it’s easy to eat too much.    I’m speaking from experience here.  I ate what I thought was a very small chunk and a few hours later was convinced that I had been poisoned.  I could have sworn that the Filipino that had sold the hash was actually trying to kill me.  A few hours later I was back to normal and had learned my lesson.

I admit I didn’t do much research about the area before heading out.  I was happy to discover that Sagada is more than just a hash town.  You could easily spend a week or two in the region if you are a trekker.  There are caves and native tribal communities to visit.  Don’t miss the hanging coffins.  Also, be sure to save a day or two for Bontoc & the rice terraces in Banaue.

Ready to go?

Tips for success:

  • Bring your rain gear
  • If you’re afraid of heights, bring a Xanax
  • I don’t recommend making this trip alone if you’re a female.

Don’t forget that hash is illegal

  • Don’t transport it.
  • Don’t give anyone a reason to want to see you in trouble, e.g. don’t act like a jerk.
  • If anything happens, be prepared to pay a fine.  If you are not asked to pay a fine, offer to. Get out of the situation as quickly as possible, with as few people involved as possible.

Logistics

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Banaue
Banaue
Jeepney
Harvested Rice
Sagada
Hanging Coffins
Cliffs
Sagada
St. Joseph\'s Resthouse Cottage Balcony
Sagada, Jeepney Station
Sagada
Hanging Coffins
Banaue
Banaue
Jeepney
Harvested Rice
Sagada
Hanging Coffins
Cliffs
Sagada
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Essential Travel Gear: Packing Cubes

Dec. 02 Packing List, Product Review no comments

After traveling both with and without packing cubes, this is an easy product to recommend.  It’s especially helpful if you are using a backpack and moving locations frequently.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to unpack my entire backpack to find one single item.  Stuff sacks work, as does DIY containers like plastic grocery bags.  However, they just don’t work as well.  Here are a few reasons that I recommend packing cubes for your next trip and what kind you should look for.

  • Staying organized:  I hate that feeling when you’re looking for your very-special-red-widget-that-can’t-be-replaced and it’s not where it should be.  Then you proceed to pull everything out of your bag with an ever increasing sense of panic.  Then you finally find it.  It was there all the time.  As you’re re-stuffing everything in your bag, you tell yourself you’re going to be better at putting things back where they belong, only to find yourself repeating this pattern over and over again.

 

  • See through, zip open on the tops:  The packing cubes you buy should be mesh so you can see the contents of them without opening them.  Also, the top should zip completely open so you can get anything out without have to pull out anything else.

 

  • Fits in backpacks or suitcase:  Make sure whatever you buy will fit inside your luggage easily.  This seems obvious, but be sure to give it some thought.

 

  • Multiple sizes:  I would recommend pick up a set that has a variety of sizes.  A small size is good for cosmetics, etc and larger sizes are good for clothes.  Also, most sets fit inside one another, so you can put the small bag inside the bigger bag if you have a tight space to work with in your pack.

 

  • Can provide storage and organization even when you’re not traveling:  Another nice thing about a good set of packing cubes is that they can be used even when you are at home.  You can store things in your closet or inside drawers.

Packing cubes are versatile, helpful and inexpensive.  You should only need to buy one set to last a lifetime of travel.  Here’s a link to the ones that I use.

 

My Weekend as a Buddhist Nun

Nov. 21 Buddhism, Destinations, South Korea no comments

I’m not a Buddhist, but I am Buddhism-curious.  Unfortunately, I haven’t found Buddhism to be an approachable religion.  Much of the literature available is translated and doesn’t flow well in English.  If you ask a Buddhist leader a question, you may hear, “I can’t answer that for you.”  After which you will be directed to meditate and discover the answer for yourself.  I’ve found it utterly intangible outside a few broad concepts.

My search for a more definitive Buddhist understanding brought me to Haeinsa, South Korea.  I spent a year living in S. Korea teaching English and I can easily say Haeinsa is my favorite place in the country and in the top 10 for the world.  The forests around the temple are spectacular, full of bubbling streams, Japanese maples & hidden hermitages.  A UNESCO world heritage site, Haeinsa is over a 1,000 years old and one of the largest monasteries in Korea.  It also opens its doors to visitors and offers a weekend temple stay.

The temple stay program is an immersion into monastic life.  To get to the temple, you walk for about 30 minutes through the forest.  This walk is a mind wash, giving an opportunity to transition out of the secular world and into the spiritual one.  Once you arrive at the temple, you are given clothes to change into and shown to your room.  There is one room for women & one room for men.  You are given a bed role & blanket.  After that there is a question & answer period followed by dinner.  You eat in a cafeteria with the monks & nuns.  The meal is meatless consisting of rice, roots & vegetables grown or foraged at the temple.  You are not allowed to speak during the meal. The temple stay proceeds with shadowing the monk’s daily practice, including chanting, prostrations and a very early meditation session.

I gained a sense of clarity from my time at the monastery.  Buddhism is fundamentally different than Western religion and any attempt to relate the two will end in frustration.  Its lack of definitive becomes its genius.  Buddhism is a humble religion that doesn’t mandate a particular path.  It encourages curiosity and each person is responsible for their own progress.  What Buddhism gives to its followers are techniques to cope with the often difficult certainties of human life, change and suffering.  It emphasizes living in each moment with full appreciation for the world and people around us.   My weekend as a Buddhist nun left me confident that there was wisdom and useful knowledge to be gained through the study and practice of Buddhist principles.  I was, and still am, enthusiastic to know more.

Ready to try for yourself?  Here’s how:

Address : 10, Chiin-ri, Gaya-myeon Hapcheon-gun Gyeongsangnam-do
Tel : +82-55-934-3110 / Fax : +82-55-934-3010
homepage : http://www.haeinsa.or.kr
E-mail : haeinsa2@templestay.com

  • The cost for a weekend stay (one night, 2 meals):  60,000 KRW / $55
  • If you are starting from Seoul, take the KTX to Daegu.  From the Daegu KTX station take a taxi to the Seobu Bus station.  Buses leave every hour to Haeinsa.  It’s about a one and half hour trip from the Seobu station to Haeinsa.

Tips for getting the most out of your weekend:

  • I recommend going in the summer.  Winters are cold in S. Korea and monastery heating is Spartan.
  • Have at least a basic understanding of Buddhism and if possible Korean Buddhism.
  • Be respectful and follow the rules of etiquette that are given to you by your temple stay instructor.
Home » My Weekend as a Buddhist Nun » Haeinsa » Slideshow
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Entrance Gates
Monk Guided Tour
Early Morning Walk
Monk Sweeping
Drum
Lotus Craft
Traditional Artist
Meditation Walk
Practice Hall
Dinner
Dinner
Dorm Room
Roof tops
Entrance Gates
Monk Guided Tour
Early Morning Walk
Monk Sweeping
Drum
Lotus Craft
Traditional Artist
Meditation Walk
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6 Reasons We Travel

Nov. 16 Travel Advice no comments

Why do you travel?  Why do we leave the safety and security of our daily lives for the unknown of travel?  The answer is different for everyone, but below are six reasons that I find myself craving yet another destination.

1.  Bragging Rights

Travel is cool.  It’s cooler than an expensive car or a high powered job. There always a way to up the ante, going further off the grid, taking more risk, plunging deeper into culture.  Let’s be honest here, sometimes you pick a destination just so you can brag about being there.

2.  A Clean Slate

One of the things I always notice one the first few days of a trip is how exposed I am.  New people are seeing me for the first time.  In your everyday life, you see the same people day after day.  They see you every day, but they are also seeing the impressions of you left over from the day before, the week before and the month before.  When you travel, you get a clean slate.  Nearly every impression is a first.

3.  A Good Story

Did I tell you about the time I ended up playing Gin Rummy in a brothel in the Philippines?  It’s a true story that I’m sure I’ll get to at some point and I have a million of them.  It’s one of my favorite things about traveling, the characters you run into and the stories you can tell.

4.  A Fulfilled Life

Before I started traveling I remember seeing a TV program about India and realizing that I could live my entire life without actually seeing the Taj Mahal.  That was a sad thought.  I felt like if I didn’t make the effort to really see what the world had to offer, I wasn’t taking full advantage of my time on earth.  Traveling and experiencing what is out there has made my life richer in so many ways.

5.  A Bucket List

Traveling can sometimes be a matter of achieving a goal.  At some point in your life you may have made it a priority to visit five specific places.  Having a glass of wine at a Paris café may be a goal in the same way that running a 5k or owning a home is.

6.  Pure Adventure

Heart pumping, blood rushing, sweaty adventure.  I’m not a scripted, Carnival cruise, Disney land traveler.  Nothing brings a smile to my face like a wild ride.  Whether it’s a breakneck tuk tuk ride through Bangkok, riding a zip line in Costa Rica or an impromptu blessing from an ascetic in Varanasi, I’m a sucker for the thrill.