Saturday, June 15, 2013
New Beginning
Mwhahaha. I learned how to import and export blogs. I have now combined all of these old posts into my new blog - milessquared.worpress.com. See you there!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Roma!
It's been almost a month since I got back from Rome and still haven't had a chance to update on the trip. It was a whirlwind three days, but absolutely worth it. The only thing I would change is taking a little more time to each lunch. We made it through the days on gelato, which was delicious, but dinner was always so amazing I wish I'd had a few more pasta dishes.
I spent a few minutes jotting down thoughts one afternoon, so I'll copy those into here, but they don't cover everything so I will try to expand.
May 1: Friday night and we are absolutely exhausted. We'd planned to go out tonihgt, but sleep seems like a much better option. It's been an absolute whirlwind day since we landed in Rome at 8am. Thanks to Katelin's magic sleeping pills we'd all slept soundly the entire way and were ready to hit the ground running. And that's exactly what we did. We took a train and a bus to St. Peter's Square where we met up with a college friend who is living and working in Rome. The Sistine Chapel had been our first planned stop, but due to St. Joseph's Feast Day it was closed. With a quick change of plans we regrouped and headed towards the Colusseum and Roman Forum. On the way we climbed one of the Seven Hills to catch a breath taking view of the city. It reminded me a lot of a scene in "The Scarlet & The Black." (hmm...wonder why?) The view was absolutely beautiful. I hadn't realized how green Rome was. Standing in the park at the top of the hill I realized why people fall in love with the city. Students were studying under orange trees, while kids played soccer against an ancient brick wall. A few blocks away, in the River Oaks of Rome, we stood in line to look through the "keyhole." When you peer into the tiny dark hole in the door, you are greeted unexpectedly with a view of St. Peters, perfectly framed by rows of neatly trimmed bushes. I felt like a little kid looking through a kaleidascope at a make believe picture. Continuing our journey, we stopped for pizza at a small pizzaria in the Jewish section of town. Delicious and very much what was needed at the time. As we walked down the street leaving the restaurant, I stopped to refill my water bottle at one of the many public fountains that are sprinkeled througout the city. Two more brief stops before we hit the main attraction- the mouth of truth or "la bocca de veritatas," and the prison where Sts. Peter and Paul were kept. About this point Katelin and Sierra left so that Callye and I could explore the Colusseum and Forum on our own. It's probably a good thing because we were both completely blown away by the Colusseum. It was so cool to be walking through something that old. And the size! I stood on the top level looking down, and could almost hear the roar of the crowd and see the lions pacing below. I could see the fraility of a single human life, alone in the arena, and realized the huge sacrifice, and the strength required to make it, that was the lot of so many early Christians. I've read the history, but until that moment had not realized what a huge structure it was or the number of people who must have crowded in for the games. Even after we left and were walking around the rest of the city, every time we caught a glimpse we stopped to take a picture.
Other things we saw that day and related thoughts:
- Forum: cool, big, old. Not nearly as awesome as the Colusseum.
- Carvagio paintings: real art. Modern paintings do not even come close. How awesome that you can walk into random churches and see these great works of art. They really were meant to lift the mind and heart to God.
- Fountain Trivia: did not realize how big it was! Again, good art = awesome.
- Pantheon: it's a circle? Being Catholic is cool.
Saturday morning started with a visit to Musee Bourghese. We did the audio tour, great investment. There were a few Bernini sculptures, which were among my favorite items in Rome- Apollo and Daphi, and the Rape of Prosperpina. The level of detail, the emotions conveyed, and the manner in which marble was manipulated to look like flesh was beyond description. I can still see parts of the scupltures in my mind, and I don't think they will ever cease to amaze me. That is true craftsmenship.
The details and order of the rest of the trip is already starting to get fuzzy, but other highlights:
- Sistine Chapel: after waiting in line for two hours, we ran through the rest of the Vatican Museum to get to the Sistine Chapel. Wow! I don't even know how to describe seeing those paintings in real life. A room filled with beautiful art. It's almost too much. How do you take it all in? We talk now of an data overload, but walking into that room for the first time must have been much the same. Where do you start? Where do your eyes look first? How do you extract the lessons to be learned from each painting?
- St. Peters: the outside did nothing to prepare me for the size and grandeur inside. It is designed to make you feel insignificant and remind you of your nothingness in the sight of God. I know there is more to religion than the emotional side, but it is still important. While we were standing inside, completely overwhelmed, the organist began practicing for Sumday mass. Wow! For me, music is the piece that ties it all together. More than any other form of art, beautiful music can speak to my soul. Standing there it all makes sense. The composers who wrote beautiful church pieces were writing for cathedrals. They were writing to fill to the brim these enormous and elaborate masterpieces. The Pieta is in a side chapel towards the front, and again so much emotion is captured. How can you not feel sadness with the sorrowing Mother?
We went to the top of St. Peters as well and looked down over the city. Incredible that such a structure could be built with none of the modern tools or technology. Saw some more fountains. I love water, so was very enchanted with them. The four corners fountain by Bernini was one of my favorites.
The other really cool thing was getting to see two of my cousins who were studying at the University of Dallas Rome campus. We went to church together Sunday morning and then walked around for a few hours. It was great to see them and catch up, and they were able to give me some more details on some of the things I'd seen already which was cool. For example, the wooden altar covering in St. Peter's is eight stories high!
I could keep going and going, but instead I'm going to end by saying it was a very worth it three day trip. Rome is the first place I have been to that I would go back in a heartbeat. I've loved every other place I've been and would love to return, but I want to visit other places first. I would not mind going back to Rome again, even if it meant sacrificint another trip.
I spent a few minutes jotting down thoughts one afternoon, so I'll copy those into here, but they don't cover everything so I will try to expand.
May 1: Friday night and we are absolutely exhausted. We'd planned to go out tonihgt, but sleep seems like a much better option. It's been an absolute whirlwind day since we landed in Rome at 8am. Thanks to Katelin's magic sleeping pills we'd all slept soundly the entire way and were ready to hit the ground running. And that's exactly what we did. We took a train and a bus to St. Peter's Square where we met up with a college friend who is living and working in Rome. The Sistine Chapel had been our first planned stop, but due to St. Joseph's Feast Day it was closed. With a quick change of plans we regrouped and headed towards the Colusseum and Roman Forum. On the way we climbed one of the Seven Hills to catch a breath taking view of the city. It reminded me a lot of a scene in "The Scarlet & The Black." (hmm...wonder why?) The view was absolutely beautiful. I hadn't realized how green Rome was. Standing in the park at the top of the hill I realized why people fall in love with the city. Students were studying under orange trees, while kids played soccer against an ancient brick wall. A few blocks away, in the River Oaks of Rome, we stood in line to look through the "keyhole." When you peer into the tiny dark hole in the door, you are greeted unexpectedly with a view of St. Peters, perfectly framed by rows of neatly trimmed bushes. I felt like a little kid looking through a kaleidascope at a make believe picture. Continuing our journey, we stopped for pizza at a small pizzaria in the Jewish section of town. Delicious and very much what was needed at the time. As we walked down the street leaving the restaurant, I stopped to refill my water bottle at one of the many public fountains that are sprinkeled througout the city. Two more brief stops before we hit the main attraction- the mouth of truth or "la bocca de veritatas," and the prison where Sts. Peter and Paul were kept. About this point Katelin and Sierra left so that Callye and I could explore the Colusseum and Forum on our own. It's probably a good thing because we were both completely blown away by the Colusseum. It was so cool to be walking through something that old. And the size! I stood on the top level looking down, and could almost hear the roar of the crowd and see the lions pacing below. I could see the fraility of a single human life, alone in the arena, and realized the huge sacrifice, and the strength required to make it, that was the lot of so many early Christians. I've read the history, but until that moment had not realized what a huge structure it was or the number of people who must have crowded in for the games. Even after we left and were walking around the rest of the city, every time we caught a glimpse we stopped to take a picture.
Other things we saw that day and related thoughts:
- Forum: cool, big, old. Not nearly as awesome as the Colusseum.
- Carvagio paintings: real art. Modern paintings do not even come close. How awesome that you can walk into random churches and see these great works of art. They really were meant to lift the mind and heart to God.
- Fountain Trivia: did not realize how big it was! Again, good art = awesome.
- Pantheon: it's a circle? Being Catholic is cool.
Saturday morning started with a visit to Musee Bourghese. We did the audio tour, great investment. There were a few Bernini sculptures, which were among my favorite items in Rome- Apollo and Daphi, and the Rape of Prosperpina. The level of detail, the emotions conveyed, and the manner in which marble was manipulated to look like flesh was beyond description. I can still see parts of the scupltures in my mind, and I don't think they will ever cease to amaze me. That is true craftsmenship.
The details and order of the rest of the trip is already starting to get fuzzy, but other highlights:
- Sistine Chapel: after waiting in line for two hours, we ran through the rest of the Vatican Museum to get to the Sistine Chapel. Wow! I don't even know how to describe seeing those paintings in real life. A room filled with beautiful art. It's almost too much. How do you take it all in? We talk now of an data overload, but walking into that room for the first time must have been much the same. Where do you start? Where do your eyes look first? How do you extract the lessons to be learned from each painting?
- St. Peters: the outside did nothing to prepare me for the size and grandeur inside. It is designed to make you feel insignificant and remind you of your nothingness in the sight of God. I know there is more to religion than the emotional side, but it is still important. While we were standing inside, completely overwhelmed, the organist began practicing for Sumday mass. Wow! For me, music is the piece that ties it all together. More than any other form of art, beautiful music can speak to my soul. Standing there it all makes sense. The composers who wrote beautiful church pieces were writing for cathedrals. They were writing to fill to the brim these enormous and elaborate masterpieces. The Pieta is in a side chapel towards the front, and again so much emotion is captured. How can you not feel sadness with the sorrowing Mother?
We went to the top of St. Peters as well and looked down over the city. Incredible that such a structure could be built with none of the modern tools or technology. Saw some more fountains. I love water, so was very enchanted with them. The four corners fountain by Bernini was one of my favorites.
The other really cool thing was getting to see two of my cousins who were studying at the University of Dallas Rome campus. We went to church together Sunday morning and then walked around for a few hours. It was great to see them and catch up, and they were able to give me some more details on some of the things I'd seen already which was cool. For example, the wooden altar covering in St. Peter's is eight stories high!
I could keep going and going, but instead I'm going to end by saying it was a very worth it three day trip. Rome is the first place I have been to that I would go back in a heartbeat. I've loved every other place I've been and would love to return, but I want to visit other places first. I would not mind going back to Rome again, even if it meant sacrificint another trip.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Snowboarding, etc
I didn't spend much time on the computer after the first few days, so here's a quick recap of the rest of my trip.
After our whirlwind tour of Tokyo, we settled down to the real business of our trip- snowboarding. Our host had arranged for us to stay at a Japanese resort near the slopes, which was pretty cool. We had a two-room suite. The bottom level was covered with Japanese mats...no chairs, and had the bathroom. A small ladder led to the upstairs, where there were six beds. Breakfast and dinner was served in a small private room off the main cafeteria. We did have a debate over whether it was because they were afraid we would be too loud or out of respect. Considering how loud some of the Japanese guests were, I tend to think it was more a sign of respect. The food was delicious, with our last dinner being two traditional Japanese soups. Who would have known that they have their own version of chicken soup?
The boarding experience was so much fun! Lesson number one- how to stand up took a little while. My younger sister caught on almost immediately and was navigating the bunny slope in no time. I, on the other hand, took a few runs to be able to make it to the bottom standing up- and going backwards. I finally learned how to turn and then the fun could really begin. By the end of the third day I was much more confident and even doing a beginners carve. The second day we went up to the top of the mountain where there was another green slope and a great view of the surrounding mountains. At the end of the highest lift was a small hike to reach the summit. We decided to go up after lunch and ran into a Japanses lady who told us that there was a saying in Japan that said "you have done a good deed if you can see the view from the top on a clear day." I guess we must have done something good because the sky was perfectly clear and we could see the smoke from the volcano that had erupted two days earlier. Much as I love summitting mountains, my favorite part is unquestionably the long run down the mountain I did the last day. Starting at the top, I rode my board to the very bottom. I went alone, enjoying every moment of the ride. The beauty of the mountains, and the stillness of my surroundings was a powerful reminder of God's power and loving care.
After three days, I was sore, bruised, and slightly swollen in parts. I was thouroughly beat, and unfortunately the weather that night left a thick blanket of snow on the ground the next morning. One day later and we would have had beautiful slopes to ride. As it was, we headed out to do some local site-seeing. We stopped first at a temple, which was quite beautiful covered in snow. Again, I wish I understood the history and architecture, but even lacking that I am glad we made the stop. We then stopped by an outdoor foot onsen. This is basically a big tub filled with hot water from an underground spring. Traditional full-sized onsens are basically very hot public baths. To use them you must first shower very well, as neiher dirt nor soap are allowed in the onsens. After the foot onsen, we headed back to the base, stopping for a quick picture of Mt. Fuji on the way.
Our last full day in Japan was spent retracing our steps a little. We went back to the Forbidden Gardens and spent several hours wandering around. Despite the winter cold, there were still several plants in bloom, including a few cherry trees! That was pretty cool and I'll have to post pictures when I get them back from my sister. Typically the cherry trees don't bloom until later in the spring, so it was a very nice treat to see them in early February. Finally, we wrapped up the day with a souvenir shopping trip.
One last comment before I wrap up this ridiculously long post. People ask me about the food. I expected sushi to be absolutely amazing there and to want to eat nothing but sushi the whole time I was there. As it turned out, I only ate it once. It didn't seem to be all that much better than some of the sushi I've had here in the states, and it didn't beat the tuna I had in Samoa. However, what I did really enjoy were the noodle bowls. I could eat those all day! And yes, those I will miss now that I am back.
After our whirlwind tour of Tokyo, we settled down to the real business of our trip- snowboarding. Our host had arranged for us to stay at a Japanese resort near the slopes, which was pretty cool. We had a two-room suite. The bottom level was covered with Japanese mats...no chairs, and had the bathroom. A small ladder led to the upstairs, where there were six beds. Breakfast and dinner was served in a small private room off the main cafeteria. We did have a debate over whether it was because they were afraid we would be too loud or out of respect. Considering how loud some of the Japanese guests were, I tend to think it was more a sign of respect. The food was delicious, with our last dinner being two traditional Japanese soups. Who would have known that they have their own version of chicken soup?
The boarding experience was so much fun! Lesson number one- how to stand up took a little while. My younger sister caught on almost immediately and was navigating the bunny slope in no time. I, on the other hand, took a few runs to be able to make it to the bottom standing up- and going backwards. I finally learned how to turn and then the fun could really begin. By the end of the third day I was much more confident and even doing a beginners carve. The second day we went up to the top of the mountain where there was another green slope and a great view of the surrounding mountains. At the end of the highest lift was a small hike to reach the summit. We decided to go up after lunch and ran into a Japanses lady who told us that there was a saying in Japan that said "you have done a good deed if you can see the view from the top on a clear day." I guess we must have done something good because the sky was perfectly clear and we could see the smoke from the volcano that had erupted two days earlier. Much as I love summitting mountains, my favorite part is unquestionably the long run down the mountain I did the last day. Starting at the top, I rode my board to the very bottom. I went alone, enjoying every moment of the ride. The beauty of the mountains, and the stillness of my surroundings was a powerful reminder of God's power and loving care.
After three days, I was sore, bruised, and slightly swollen in parts. I was thouroughly beat, and unfortunately the weather that night left a thick blanket of snow on the ground the next morning. One day later and we would have had beautiful slopes to ride. As it was, we headed out to do some local site-seeing. We stopped first at a temple, which was quite beautiful covered in snow. Again, I wish I understood the history and architecture, but even lacking that I am glad we made the stop. We then stopped by an outdoor foot onsen. This is basically a big tub filled with hot water from an underground spring. Traditional full-sized onsens are basically very hot public baths. To use them you must first shower very well, as neiher dirt nor soap are allowed in the onsens. After the foot onsen, we headed back to the base, stopping for a quick picture of Mt. Fuji on the way.
Our last full day in Japan was spent retracing our steps a little. We went back to the Forbidden Gardens and spent several hours wandering around. Despite the winter cold, there were still several plants in bloom, including a few cherry trees! That was pretty cool and I'll have to post pictures when I get them back from my sister. Typically the cherry trees don't bloom until later in the spring, so it was a very nice treat to see them in early February. Finally, we wrapped up the day with a souvenir shopping trip.
One last comment before I wrap up this ridiculously long post. People ask me about the food. I expected sushi to be absolutely amazing there and to want to eat nothing but sushi the whole time I was there. As it turned out, I only ate it once. It didn't seem to be all that much better than some of the sushi I've had here in the states, and it didn't beat the tuna I had in Samoa. However, what I did really enjoy were the noodle bowls. I could eat those all day! And yes, those I will miss now that I am back.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Spark's Notes: Tokyo Edition
Yesterday we did a quick highlights tour of Tokyo. We started out the day by trying to take a tour of the C-130s, but after almost getting thrown into a military prison we decided it might be safer to just avoid the base for a little while. Three trains, a subway, and a half-mile walk later we found Tokyo Tower. I must admit that until yesterday I didn't even know such a place existed. It's taller than the Eiffel Tower by a few feet, and weighs a lot less due to advances in technology. I hadn't really researched much about Japan since I had no planning control over the trip so I might end up having to look up the places we go after I get home. The view from the midpoint observation tower was quite impressive. We could see Mount Fuji in the distance since it was very clear day, and the harbor on the other side. Every side we looked was a huge sprawling city. Houston seems small in comparison. On the way down, we stopped at the kids' carnival and took a bunch of pictures. Traveling with two other girls made is making the picture taking lots of fun. We had no problem pretending to be little kids again. Once we reached the bottom we stopped at a crepe/ice cream stand and availed ourselves of some refreshments. One of the boys in our group ordered octopus balls from another street vendor, but they weren't nearly as good as the crepes.
Next stop was the Sony Tower where the boys had a field day looking at all the beta testing products that have yet to be released. By far the coolest thing in my opinion was the piano staircase. Every step was a different note, so it sounded like a little kid banging on a piano as people went up and down.
Although it was getting late by this point, we took another subway over to the Palace, only to find that it had already closed for the day. We wandered around for a little while, then decided we would try to make it back on Saturday, time permitting.
With darkness moving in, we hopped back to see one of the temples and what is apparently tourist shopping heaven in Tokyo. Unfortunately our tour guide had neglected to tell us to bring lots of money for the day so the souvenir shopping will have to wait until Saturday as well. The temple was cool, but again I don't know much of the culture or history behind it. Next time I'll be sure to do my own research ahead of time. :) There was a big incense pot at the foot of the steps leading up the temple entrance. Apparently you are supposed to "waft" yourself in the insense to keep yourself young. There was also a trough with water to bathe yoursel and remove impurities.
Last item on the agenda was "Tokyo Times Square," a pretty busy crossroads. We sat upstairs in a Starbucks and watched as time after time the street would fill with hundreds of people crossing, and then seemingly just as suddenly the people would disappear. It was amazing how many people live in the city and were congregating on this one block, on a Sunday evening. If there's one thing I took away from yesterday it was that- Tokyo is a huge city with lots of people.
Next stop was the Sony Tower where the boys had a field day looking at all the beta testing products that have yet to be released. By far the coolest thing in my opinion was the piano staircase. Every step was a different note, so it sounded like a little kid banging on a piano as people went up and down.
Although it was getting late by this point, we took another subway over to the Palace, only to find that it had already closed for the day. We wandered around for a little while, then decided we would try to make it back on Saturday, time permitting.
With darkness moving in, we hopped back to see one of the temples and what is apparently tourist shopping heaven in Tokyo. Unfortunately our tour guide had neglected to tell us to bring lots of money for the day so the souvenir shopping will have to wait until Saturday as well. The temple was cool, but again I don't know much of the culture or history behind it. Next time I'll be sure to do my own research ahead of time. :) There was a big incense pot at the foot of the steps leading up the temple entrance. Apparently you are supposed to "waft" yourself in the insense to keep yourself young. There was also a trough with water to bathe yoursel and remove impurities.
Last item on the agenda was "Tokyo Times Square," a pretty busy crossroads. We sat upstairs in a Starbucks and watched as time after time the street would fill with hundreds of people crossing, and then seemingly just as suddenly the people would disappear. It was amazing how many people live in the city and were congregating on this one block, on a Sunday evening. If there's one thing I took away from yesterday it was that- Tokyo is a huge city with lots of people.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Welcome to Japan
It's been almost two years since I last posted, but I am re-opening this blog for a week to chronicle my adventures in Japan. I am here visiting a family friend with one of my sisters, two of his brothers, and his sister-in-law. It's a good bunch of people to do a group travel with since we are all like family and very comfortable with each other.
After a fourteen hour direct flight from Houston, we landed at Narita yesterday afternoon and took a bus back to the Yakota airforce base where our friend is stationed. Yesterday was pretty uneventful since we were all completely exhausted from the travels. The one thing we did do was get sushi, where I managed to completely embarrass myself. First, I tried to eat with the chopsticks they used to count the number of sushi you had ordered. Then, as we were leaving, I turned around and missed the step. I slid across the floor, desperately trying to regain my footing, hitting the door, and almost knocking over the waitress and one of the other patrons. I felt so bad, but even worse when the waitress almost started to cry---she was so worried that I had hurt myself. Quite embarrassing!
After a fourteen hour direct flight from Houston, we landed at Narita yesterday afternoon and took a bus back to the Yakota airforce base where our friend is stationed. Yesterday was pretty uneventful since we were all completely exhausted from the travels. The one thing we did do was get sushi, where I managed to completely embarrass myself. First, I tried to eat with the chopsticks they used to count the number of sushi you had ordered. Then, as we were leaving, I turned around and missed the step. I slid across the floor, desperately trying to regain my footing, hitting the door, and almost knocking over the waitress and one of the other patrons. I felt so bad, but even worse when the waitress almost started to cry---she was so worried that I had hurt myself. Quite embarrassing!
Friday, February 02, 2007
New blog
I realize my life is nowhere near as exciting now that I'm back in the States, but if you want to see what's going on go to maiflower1121.blogspot.com
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Final post
I'm back at Rice and beginning my final semester of undergraduate studies, so this will probably be my last post in this blog. Maybe if I feel inspired I'll start another one at some point in this semester. This however will remain as a personal reminder of my semester in Samoa.
Being back has been so much easier than I thought. I do miss some things and many of the people from Samoa, but it is good to be home. I miss the friends I made and the extreme welcomness and friendliness of Samoans as a whole. I miss snorkeling in Palolo Deep. I miss the laid back pace of life.
Over Christmas break, and now being back at school I have had the opportunity to think about what my trip meant to me and how it has changed me. Maybe some of you disagree, but here are my thoughts. Studying and living abroad is like stepping through a door into a whole new world that you never knew existed. Coming back, you cannot just close the door and forget about it. It has become a part of who you are, and I know that it will forever shape who I am in the future. I have become more self-confident and willing to take risks. Not knowing anyone else really forces you to think about who you are and how you define yourself. I have no idea what the future holds for me, but I am no longer afraid of it.
Being in a developing country made me realize how much I take for granted and how much wastefulness goes on around me. It's not so much about becoming a green-fanatic as it is about realizing that we are stewards of God's creation and must treat it with proper care.
Finally, I have come to realize more than ever that God has a reason for everything. I had my own plans when I went abroad, but what happened while I was abroad is exactly what I needed at this point in my life.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this blog. If you haven't already I hope that one day you are able to experience living in a foreign country, even if it's only for a short time.
God bless.
Being back has been so much easier than I thought. I do miss some things and many of the people from Samoa, but it is good to be home. I miss the friends I made and the extreme welcomness and friendliness of Samoans as a whole. I miss snorkeling in Palolo Deep. I miss the laid back pace of life.
Over Christmas break, and now being back at school I have had the opportunity to think about what my trip meant to me and how it has changed me. Maybe some of you disagree, but here are my thoughts. Studying and living abroad is like stepping through a door into a whole new world that you never knew existed. Coming back, you cannot just close the door and forget about it. It has become a part of who you are, and I know that it will forever shape who I am in the future. I have become more self-confident and willing to take risks. Not knowing anyone else really forces you to think about who you are and how you define yourself. I have no idea what the future holds for me, but I am no longer afraid of it.
Being in a developing country made me realize how much I take for granted and how much wastefulness goes on around me. It's not so much about becoming a green-fanatic as it is about realizing that we are stewards of God's creation and must treat it with proper care.
Finally, I have come to realize more than ever that God has a reason for everything. I had my own plans when I went abroad, but what happened while I was abroad is exactly what I needed at this point in my life.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this blog. If you haven't already I hope that one day you are able to experience living in a foreign country, even if it's only for a short time.
God bless.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Hawaii
After spending four very relaxing days in Hawaii I am now officially back in Texas. It's so good to be back, but I still haven't seen most of my family. At first I wasnt looking forward to being in Hawaii, but it turned out to be a very nice break between Samoa and home. I did a little bit of shopping, rode around the island on the busses, went to the beach, watched some surfing, and basically just chilled. It was wonderful, although a tad bit cold.
I came back to Houston on Saturday and have been staying with my sister at Rice until she finishes her finals on Tuesday. It worked out perfectly because this way I've gotten to say hi to all my friends back here before they leave for the holidays. Next semester is going to be so awesome. I've decided however that I really prefer just hanging around with no work, so I think that maybe I should just crash on campus next semester and not take any classes. That would be a lot of fun. However, I dont think my parents would be amused. What a shame!
As for culture shock- there hasnt been much. Wandering Ala Moana mall on Tuesday I kept wanting to speak Samoan, and it took me a little while to realize that I could actually call people on their cell phones, but mainly I'm just glad to be back. Yes it was a wonderful experience, but I'm not ready to give up everything here to move back and live on a tropical island. I realized that I'm not quite who I thought I was. Then again, I suppose that's part of what studying abroad is really about- discovering yourself. Hopefully I managed to do that. I think I have.
I came back to Houston on Saturday and have been staying with my sister at Rice until she finishes her finals on Tuesday. It worked out perfectly because this way I've gotten to say hi to all my friends back here before they leave for the holidays. Next semester is going to be so awesome. I've decided however that I really prefer just hanging around with no work, so I think that maybe I should just crash on campus next semester and not take any classes. That would be a lot of fun. However, I dont think my parents would be amused. What a shame!
As for culture shock- there hasnt been much. Wandering Ala Moana mall on Tuesday I kept wanting to speak Samoan, and it took me a little while to realize that I could actually call people on their cell phones, but mainly I'm just glad to be back. Yes it was a wonderful experience, but I'm not ready to give up everything here to move back and live on a tropical island. I realized that I'm not quite who I thought I was. Then again, I suppose that's part of what studying abroad is really about- discovering yourself. Hopefully I managed to do that. I think I have.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Coming home
Last night was our farewell dinner as we leave tomorrow afternoon. One of the boys left this morning. I can't believe how quickly time has flown. We spent the night at on a small private island Friday night, and I went back to Palolo Deep yesterday with a visiting SIT student. I'm so glad we went because I hadnt seen the giant clams the first time and they were gorgeous. I'm on borrowed internet time at the moment so I cant say much more, but I will be seeing everyone very soon. I have four days in Honolulu due to the flight change so I wont be home as early as I thought, but by this time tomorrow I will be in route. Love you all!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Presentations
Yesterday and today were our final presentations. I wasn't really looking forward to them, but I was very pleasantly surprised. They were all really well done and very interesting. I didn't feel the need to keep looking at my watch the whole time. For better or worse I drew the last time slot. I hadn't realized how nervous and just generally feeling stressed I was until it was over and it was like this huge wave of relief. I'm done!!!! Well, almost. We still have to fill out a few evaluations and write up a one page paper, but that shouldnt take more than thirty minuetes max. Tomorrow we are going to Lotofaga to say good-bye to our home-stay families. Friday is our free day and I'm planning to head up to the Robert Louis Stevenson museum. Saturday we have our final program evaluation and good-bye dinner, and then Sunday evening we get on a plane to head home. Somewhere between now and then I have to pack, which will involve sorting through the mess that is currently my desk, chair, and floor. I'm normally not this messy and disorganized, but with all the craziness thats been going on lately I just havent had a chance to put stuff away. I think I'm going to end up leaving a lot of the stuff I brought with me here- especially the clothes because they've just become stretched from all the hand washing. Plus, there are some stains that are just not ever going to come out. It's really amazing how dirty things become here.
I know I haven't posted pictures in a while. I'll probably go back and add them once I get home, but I'll be honest. I'm feeling a little lazy and just a tad bit burnt out right now. The semester's been incredible but intense. Anyways, I probably should get going...we're planning on going out tonight to celebrate being done. :)
I know I haven't posted pictures in a while. I'll probably go back and add them once I get home, but I'll be honest. I'm feeling a little lazy and just a tad bit burnt out right now. The semester's been incredible but intense. Anyways, I probably should get going...we're planning on going out tonight to celebrate being done. :)
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Big day
Happy Birthday Robert! I don't think its quite midnight in Texas, but by the time anyone sees this it should be your birthday. I can't to see you and everyone else. I'll be home in one week. I finished my paper last night and will be doing my presentation tomorrow. After that we just have a few more things to do.
Counting down the days
I will admit it. I am counting. Yes I love being here and I know that I will miss it once I get back home, but I also just cant wait to see my family and friends. Tonight I had dinner with my first Samoan family. I'm glad that I had a chance to see them again. It's hard to believe that its already been three months since I was last at their house. Monday nights are always family nights- something I did not know until it had actually started. Before dinner the entire family- about 20 total including all the young children who live with them while they are in school- sat in the main fale, prayed and sang, and then began the talent portion of the evening. Apparently every Monday of the month is different- lesson, talent, service, and games. Everyone, from the 2 year old to the mother/grandmother got up and had to do something: a song, a dance, a poem, a story. I did my Samoan dance while everyone sang. It was really quite nice. We ate dinner and then I had to come back to campus to start working on my presentation.
I turned in my paper today. It was quite a fiasco trying to get it printed. Jackie wanted double-sided but after an hour of wandering around town I gave up and did it single. I'm glad its done. My goal is to finish the power point tonight so that tomorrow I can hang out with the group that presents tomorrow. My presentation is the very last one on Wednesday...ick. I feel like this week is going to fly by so quickly.
I should probably say something about Manono before too much time passes. The 24 hours that I spent there were very relaxing, restful, and definitely what I needed to take my mind off of the stress that was surrounding me with the paper's deadline looming over everyone. I spent most of the time reading or sleeping in the little cabin. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if I'd had more time or if I'd gone with someone else. As it was, it was a little wierd being pretty much the only girl around the place and feeling like a tourist for the first time in a very long time instead of a guest/family. I walked around the island- it took two hours. No cars, no dogs. Snorkeling was also nice, mainly because it involved going out in a boat to the reef. In terms of the actual underwater scene, Palolo Deep was so much more spectacular. All things told, I'm glad I went but Apolima was about ten times more awesome. :)
I turned in my paper today. It was quite a fiasco trying to get it printed. Jackie wanted double-sided but after an hour of wandering around town I gave up and did it single. I'm glad its done. My goal is to finish the power point tonight so that tomorrow I can hang out with the group that presents tomorrow. My presentation is the very last one on Wednesday...ick. I feel like this week is going to fly by so quickly.
I should probably say something about Manono before too much time passes. The 24 hours that I spent there were very relaxing, restful, and definitely what I needed to take my mind off of the stress that was surrounding me with the paper's deadline looming over everyone. I spent most of the time reading or sleeping in the little cabin. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if I'd had more time or if I'd gone with someone else. As it was, it was a little wierd being pretty much the only girl around the place and feeling like a tourist for the first time in a very long time instead of a guest/family. I walked around the island- it took two hours. No cars, no dogs. Snorkeling was also nice, mainly because it involved going out in a boat to the reef. In terms of the actual underwater scene, Palolo Deep was so much more spectacular. All things told, I'm glad I went but Apolima was about ten times more awesome. :)
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Back
I'm back from Manono, but not feeling all that well so I'll have to tell you more about that later. :)
Saturday, December 02, 2006
*yawn*
It's almost midnight and I should be in bed but my mind does not want to let my body sleep. I dont really feel stressed but I think that on some level I must be. Last night Michaela, Heather, and I went out for dinner to get away from things for a little bit. It ended up being really nice, and when we got back we sat around in our common room and talked until 2am. Afterwards, instead of going to bed, I stayed up until almost 3:30 working on my paper. I finally crashed only to wake up at 5:30 unable to go back to sleep. I sat on my bed and wrote for the next four hours, knocking out the second half of my paper. I was honestly quite proud of myself. I've spent the past few days staring at a blank screen in the computer lab unable to get motivated so this morning's sudden burst of productivity was quite nice. I am now done with my rough draft and am only missing my bibliography. Tomorrow morning I plan to wake up early and head to Manono for about 24 hours. Hopefully the weather will be nice and I'll be able to hike around the island and do a little snorkeling. Heather and Niko might join me later in the day which would be really nice as it would mean that I wouldnt have to spent the night by myself. Not that I would mind, but company is always fun. When I get back Sunday the plan is to take a second look at my paper and begin work on my presentation. It's hard to believe that my time here is fast drawing to a close. At this point there is barely a week left. I won't lie- I am starting to get excited about going home. :)
Thursday, November 30, 2006
What to say
I apologize if my posts this week are somewhat boring and repetitive. This week is pretty much the writing week. I'm hoping to finish up my rough draft by tomorrow and have Friday and Saturday free. I've decided that I really want to go to Manono. If I do that'll mean that I was able to visit the four inhabited islands of Samoa. How awesome would that be!
This morning I spent a few hours attempting to do work at the Kofi House. I think part of me was hoping that it would be something like Starbucks or Barnes and Nobles. Although the ambiance was nice and I did spent a substantial amount of money in the time I was there I dont think they really appreciated me taking up an entire table for three hours. I left around lunch time when it started to get crowded. It made me realize though that there arent really any spots in Apia to just sit and read or work. There are a few scattered picnic tables, but the rain made them out of the question today. And while there is a public library, the one time I was in there it was pretty hot and miserable. The only other time I tried to find someplace in town to do work I ended up at McDonalds. I wonder what that means...
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Staring at the computer
I'm supposed to be working on my paper right now but I just can't get motivated to actually write anything. Maybe its because the room is cold, or maybe its just because I'm tired. Either way, I dont think sitting here is doing me much good so I'm going to go back to my room and try to get at least a little bit of work done there.
Today was a pretty boring day. I sat around and stared at my notes for a while, read a little bit, made a few phone calls, and realized that I really dont want to be doing work. No suprise there though eh? I think the best part of my day was when Heather and I went for a walk after dinner. I think we're going to try and go every night until we leave. It's a nice way to unwind and it gets us off campus for a little bit.
haha and I just found out that I am Lovett's new treasurer. What was I thinking???
Also, I realize that this is a random picture, but it was taken as I was walking through town the other day. This is the Catholic Church in Apia and the place where I usually go to Mass on Sunday.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Solosolo
The weekend was amazing. I love spending time with families out in the villages. Yes, I want my research paper to be done to the best of my ability, but I don’t want to look back on my time here and regret that I spent more hours in the library than I did seeing Samoa and enjoying my semester abroad. That’s actually been one of my pet peeves. Most of the other students spend so much time freaking out and stressing about their paper. I came here to get away from having to worry about my grades. Let me just give you a little example of what I mean, and please don’t take it the wrong way. I love everyone in the group, but its just frustrating that they are spending so much time worrying about their ISPs. So I turned 21 last week and naturally wanted to go out to celebrate. Almost everyone went to dinner, which was nice, but then everyone but two of the girls decided that they had too much work to do to hang out anymore. Ya know ok that’s fine. I had fun at dinner- but it was just a little annoying that they are putting that high of an emphasis on work. And its been like that for almost everything. It’s so hard to get people to go out and do things because they “always have work.” Their loss not mine though right? And yeah, I might regret this if I get a B instead of an A on my paper but at this point I’m going to say that I have no regrets about the time I’ve spent on things other than work.
Take for example Friday. I went to Palolo Deep to do some of my research. I think I might go back tomorrow as well. Palolo Deep is a marine reserve. Unfortunately it doest have any fales, but it does have some small shelters and a few picnic tables that were really nice for doing work. Oh and its only WS$2 = US$0.70. I spent a few hours sitting in the shade and coming up with my outline, and then decided to put on my mask and go for a swim to investigate what is supposedly some of the best snorkeling in Samoa. I made the mistake of going at low tide so I was pretty much belly dancing over the coral, but it was so worth it. After about ten minutes of fighting the current the bottom suddenly dropped off and I was staring at the most amazingly beautiful and untouched underwater aquarium. The bottom was about twenty feet deep, and completely lined with purple and green coral. Hundreds of tiny fish flitted about in the light streaming down from the surface, and even more swam around the rocks and coral at the bottom and along the side. In the middle were two long eelish looking fish. Were they eels or sea snakes? I don’t know, but they were really cool. One of the rainbow fish, for lack of knowing its actual name, took a liking to me and swam by my side for a little bit. He actually ran into my hand and then swam around behind me and bit my toes. It was so awesome, and for the entire time I was in the water I was completely alone. It was one of those moments when you stare at the scene before you and wonder what you did to deserve to see such beauty and know with absolutely certainty that there has to be an all-knowing God who created it because that cannot be chance.
I came back and was then in a little bit of a rush to make it out to Solosolo where Niko and I spent the weekend with our friend Kareti. We met Kareti our first week here on one of our drop offs. She has wanted us to come visit her family for three months and we finally had the free time to do it this weekend. I spent most of my weekend with her older sister who is 22. It was awesome because they actually didn’t insist on treating us like guests and let us help with the cooking and watching little kids and stuff. Actually, all the little kids loved me. The first night I was there alone since Niko couldn’t make it until Saturday. It was so funny because they couldn’t figure out if I could understand Samoan or not. There were about 6 little kids from the family and neighbors shooting questions at me in Samoan. About half of them I understood and the other half were way over my head but they thought it was hysterical. Oh and then there was Maori dance practice which I took part in, which also cracked them up because come on- a palagi just doesn’t make that face. It was fun. I also said got to pray the Rosary with them- the first time I haven’t had to say it alone since I got here. The only problem was that it was in Samoan and I realized that I didn’t know how to say the Hail Mary in Samoan. I do now! I think the highlight of Saturday was going up into the mountain and picking flowers for the altar for Sunday. That and swimming in the ocean with a small group and taking oh about 100 pictures. Well, I didn’t take them, but that’s about how many were taken. No joke. Sunday was church and to’ona’i. I’m going to miss eating with my fingers when I get home. Seriously! It’s so much more convenient. And I know I’ve already said this but what were the missionaries thinking when they decided that clothes were somehow more appropriate. I was drenched in sweat the entire weekend. It was so hot and humid. I think the only time it wasn’t sweat was when I was in the shower and then the moment I stepped out it came back again. Aside from that however the weekend was awesome. Kareti’s mom works as a seamstress for one of the big hotels. Her dad is a retired boxer and carpenter. Unfortunately he got very sick and had to stop working. They used to have a booth in the market but once that happened they had to close up and that’s when her mom went to work for the hotel. He now stays home with the little kids. About half of her siblings are overseas. One of her sisters works as a secretary for the Minister of Education (the one I hung out with), one of them committed suicide, and the other two are younger than Kareti. Her 19 year old brother also lives at home and helps with the plantation. I was thinking about this over the weekend, but I think it’s the nurturer in me that finds something about these Samoan boys who give up everything to feed the family that is incredibly attractive. Anyways… and then there are the two adopted boys. One of them is actually her older sister’s adopted son. Altogether there are twelve kids, two of which are adopted. Before we left they gave Niko and I some of the wooden handicrafts that her dad had made several years ago. They are beautiful. Oh and they made me a beautiful pulitasi. How do you even begin to repay something like that?
Friday, November 24, 2006
Plans for the day
This morning I walked about half a mile down the street to one of the small faleoloa's. There's one much closer to campus, but the lady who runs this particular one is really nice. Plus I like her masi popo much better. (Masi popo is a square hard biscuit with just enough sugar to make it addicting.) I'd met and talked to her earlier this week while I was waiting to meet Kareti in the pouring rain. I wanted a package of the masi popo, which costs WS$1, but I only had big bills on me and she didn't have enough change so she gave it to me for free. I've gone back a few times since then to buy more because yes, they are just that good. This morning she also gave me two sandwhiches to try. They weren't bad- grilled tuna with cabbage and pumkpin/squash. I think that if you added cheese it would be pretty unbeatable. That's just pretty much how people are here. One of the boys is studying the faleoloas. Apparently its quite hard to run them successfully because they have such low profit margins and there are so many of them. Plus there isn't really a concept of saving here so when you have cash you spend it. You dont necessarily put it away to buy more inventory.
I'm just finishing up a few things in the computer lab and then I'm going to go down to Palolo Deep Marine Reserve. Hopefully the sun will hold and the tide wont be too low because I would like to do a little snorkeling. I'm also going to have to do some work while I'm there, but if I stay around school I will be too distracted. Later this afternoon I'm heading over to Kareti's house for the weekend with Niko. I'll be back on Monday. :)
I'm just finishing up a few things in the computer lab and then I'm going to go down to Palolo Deep Marine Reserve. Hopefully the sun will hold and the tide wont be too low because I would like to do a little snorkeling. I'm also going to have to do some work while I'm there, but if I stay around school I will be too distracted. Later this afternoon I'm heading over to Kareti's house for the weekend with Niko. I'll be back on Monday. :)
Thanksgiving- part II
Yep that’s right. Two posts in one day. I wish I had my memory stick with me right now and could upload more pictures but unfortunately that is in my room. We just got back from our Thanksgiving dinner. It was surprisingly very good and complete with turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and pig. Unfortunately there was no pecan pie. L I am now stuffed beyond belief and just checking my email quickly before I head to bed where I am sure I will sleep soundly.
Today was quite busy. We had a group meeting to go over logistics for our presentation and paper this morning. That was followed by an interview with the general manager of one of the private energy companies in Samoa. It was actually a really interesting conversation. Most of my interviews have been with people in government, which is all fine, but it was interesting to get the private perspective. Plus, he seemed to be incredibly intelligent and I learned something about LNG. I had a really short phone interview with someone else in the private sector and he told me that kasava, a popular root crop, actually yields more ethanol per hectare than sugar cane so that was interesting as well. After that meeting I walked about a mile down the road to my next interview, stopping along the way at the Samoan National Museum. It’s a three room exhibit in the upstairs of the former government building. It’s not too big and doesn’t have a huge collection but it does have some interesting pictures from a hundred years ago as well as a few items from other countries in the Pacific.
I came back and relaxed for about an hour and then went in search of the Tongan boys to play some tennis but they weren’t around yet so instead I tossed around the Frisbee with a guy from Tokelau and one from the Cook Islands. They are two of the only students still around campus, and they will be flying home soon as well. After about fifteen minutes of that we joined Dan and Jared throwing/kicking the rugby ball. I’ll be honest. I don’t think I’ve ever touched a rugby ball so I had no idea what I was doing. They then decided that it would be a great idea to play a game of touch since a few more people had come out by then. Of course, I had absolutely no idea how the game worked so when they decided that I needed to be the one who scored I was like umm…ok…It was fun however and I think I’ll definitely be out there playing with them come tomorrow. After rugby we showered and headed to dinner- which was delicious, as I mentioned earlier. And now off to bed. Hopefully the centipede that dropped out of my lavalava this morning as I went to get dressed has exited my room because that might be pretty bad otherwise.
Today was quite busy. We had a group meeting to go over logistics for our presentation and paper this morning. That was followed by an interview with the general manager of one of the private energy companies in Samoa. It was actually a really interesting conversation. Most of my interviews have been with people in government, which is all fine, but it was interesting to get the private perspective. Plus, he seemed to be incredibly intelligent and I learned something about LNG. I had a really short phone interview with someone else in the private sector and he told me that kasava, a popular root crop, actually yields more ethanol per hectare than sugar cane so that was interesting as well. After that meeting I walked about a mile down the road to my next interview, stopping along the way at the Samoan National Museum. It’s a three room exhibit in the upstairs of the former government building. It’s not too big and doesn’t have a huge collection but it does have some interesting pictures from a hundred years ago as well as a few items from other countries in the Pacific.
I came back and relaxed for about an hour and then went in search of the Tongan boys to play some tennis but they weren’t around yet so instead I tossed around the Frisbee with a guy from Tokelau and one from the Cook Islands. They are two of the only students still around campus, and they will be flying home soon as well. After about fifteen minutes of that we joined Dan and Jared throwing/kicking the rugby ball. I’ll be honest. I don’t think I’ve ever touched a rugby ball so I had no idea what I was doing. They then decided that it would be a great idea to play a game of touch since a few more people had come out by then. Of course, I had absolutely no idea how the game worked so when they decided that I needed to be the one who scored I was like umm…ok…It was fun however and I think I’ll definitely be out there playing with them come tomorrow. After rugby we showered and headed to dinner- which was delicious, as I mentioned earlier. And now off to bed. Hopefully the centipede that dropped out of my lavalava this morning as I went to get dressed has exited my room because that might be pretty bad otherwise.
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