First off, a big thank you to Katie Erica from Tripbase Blog for asking me to contribute to her list of best kept travel secrets from some of the most famous travel bloggers in the industry today.

Here’s how Tripbase Blog Tag works:

Been somewhere amazing you’d never even heard of? You want to let your buddies in on the secret, right? Read on for my top travel gems!

What’s interesting about travel is that the places / hotels / restaurants that everyone agrees are fantastic, are often not so fantastic.

And even if they are, it can all be a bit predictable.

Now what’s really fun is when you find somewhere obscure that is truly out of this world.

You can’t believe your luck to have stumbled across this travel gem. How could you not have heard of this place before?

You want to shout it from the rooftops.

So here they are… My Several Worlds’ Best Kept Travel Secrets

STAY AT

1.  Nefatari Villas, Ubud, Bali

Image Source: Nefatari Exclusive Villas

Imagine staying in a private villa set amongst lush green rice paddies deep in the heart of Bali. Nefatari Villas has a small but extremely efficient set of staff on hand, and they made our time there unforgettable. Our breakfast was served to us on our private outdoor terrace each morning, our private plunge pool was cleaned and swept each day, and they provided us with a car service that was available on demand. The icing on the cake though, was the special meal they put together for us when they learned that John was going to propose to me. They turned the outdoor courtyard into a private outdoor restaurant for us complete with a fountain and small pool full of scented candles and fresh flower petals floating in the water, a beautiful cloth gazebo laced with fresh orchids, romantic music, and a homemade Balinese meal served by candlelight. It was the most romantic night of our lives!

3 reasons to stay at Nefatari Villas:

• - Your own private plunge pool and sun terrace
• - Traditional home-cooked Balinese meals delivered right to your door
• - Relax in complete and utter isolation

VISIT

2. Wulai, Taiwan

Image source

Famous for its natural hot springs and aboriginal culture, any visitor will love a day or two in the aboriginal village of Wulai. It has everything you could possibly want for a fun day outdoors, including stunning mountain scenery, hiking trails, and a waterfall. There are plenty of hotels, spas, and hot spring resorts in town, but why pay when you can experience it for free? Down by the river, visitors can enjoy open air bathing in a natural hot spring . Cool off with a relaxing swim in the river afterwards.

3 reasons to go to Wulai

• - The gorgeous mountain scenery
• - Natural outdoor hot spring baths
• - Learn about traditional Aboriginal culture in Taiwan

EAT

3. Department Store food courts throughout Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, and Singapore

Department Store Food Court, Japan

Image Source

We just love department store food courts in Asia. They’re absolutely nothing like boring old North American food courts. There’s always an enormous range of food to choose from, and it all comes at very reasonable prices.

3 reasons to eat at Asian food courts

• - Mix and match your meals
• - Free food samples
• - Fresh, tasty, and cheap

I nominate these five bloggers to share three of their best kept travel secrets on their blog.

• Kathryn and Daniel, Two Go Round the World
• Jen, Folie a Deux
• Joshua, Snarky Tofu
• Sonya, Traveling Greener
• Angela, Travel Calling

Stay tuned for a final list of Top Bloggers’ Best Kept Travel Secrets, which will be shared as a special post on Tripbase Blog.

My Several Worlds’ Best Kept Travel Secrets is a post from: My Several Worlds

© 2007 My Several Worlds

Global nomad, Hawaii’s sweetheart, and now Taiwan’s new top model, international model Jaclynn Joseph has done a formidable job of combining a love of culture and traveling with a lucrative modeling career here in Taipei. Stylish, versatile, daring, and 100% original, Jaclynn is also fiercely independent and a real go-getter.

MSW: Hi Jaclynn. Thanks very much for agreeing to answer a few of my questions. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

JJ: My full name is Jaclynn Joyce Joseph and I am originally from Hilo, Hawai’i. My family immigrated from the Azores and Madeira to Hawai’i to work on the sugar cane plantations. I’ve been lucky. I’ve done quite a bit of traveling. I’ve been to 4 continents, 9 countries and 14 U.S. states.

MSW: When did you first start modeling?

JJ: I started modeling as a hobby when I was 18. I come from a very small town on a very remote island, so building my portfolio and establishing myself as a model took quite a while. The opportunities for models in Hawai’i are very limited. I began modeling professionally in 2007.

Professional model Jaclynn Joseph

MSW: What made you decide to come to Taiwan?

JJ: I had been living and modeling in Los Angeles, CA when the opportunity to move to Taiwan presented itself. The person I had been dating received a schlorship to National Taiwan University and we thought it would be a great opportunity and a challenge to live abroad and try something new.

MSW: You obviously do well with modeling here in Taiwan. Every time I check in with you, you’ve running off to a new photo shoot or filming a new commercial. Is modeling a full-time occupation for you?

JJ: I teach English part time here in Taipei and I also model professionally. That means anything from television commercials to bridal catalogs. I’ve shot about 6 national commercials in Taiwan so far, the last one being a commercial for a cellphone company; the strangest one having been for a skin bleaching product.

MSW: How do you find work?

JJ: When I first moved to Taiwan I worked exclusively with an agency, but after a few months I realized it was in my favor to work as a freelance model here, since agencies take upwards of 40% from their models. I work independently with a variety of agents and photographers. I’ve been lucky enough to befriend people in the industry who send plenty of work my way. I also have a modeling website and a flickr page both of which receive a lot of attention.

Professional model Jaclynn Joseph

MSW: What is your most memorable fashion shoot?

JJ: I don’t have a favorite shoot. I try to have fun and enjoy every shoot or job I am assigned to. I try to lighthearted and free spirited when on assignment. It tends to de-stress the crew on set and also create more natural and beautiful photographs.

MSW: Does your job allow you to be location independent?

JJ: Definitely. I can model pretty much anywhere I choose to live. I have a degree and teaching experience to fall back on as well. I really want to go back to school to get my masters degree in history, and I’ve been contemplating taking a few years off to focus on that goal.

MSW:  Your photo albums on Facebook and Flickr are very creative and unique. Have you ever thought about making them into something more?

JJ: I’ve played around with the idea of printing out my photos and making a book of sorts, but alas I haven’t taken the time to create anything yet. I’m open to ideas or suggestions, though.

Professional model Jaclynn Joseph

MSW: What advice would you offer for others who are thinking of moving abroad to find work?

JJ: Do your research! I moved to Taiwan on a whim with 2 weeks to pack and prepare. Big mistake! I was miserable the first few months here in Taipei and wish I would have read up on the cultural differences, the weather, the differences in modeling industry between the U.S. and Asia…etc. A little bit of research can go a long way towards helping ease stress and tension in an unfamiliar situation.

Professional Model Jaclynn Joseph

MSW Interviews: Professional Model and Global Nomad Jaclynn Joseph is a post from: My Several Worlds

© 2007 My Several Worlds

Announcing the 2009 Taiwan blog awards

Taiwanderful, a Taiwan travel and culture guide, announced the 2009 Taiwan Best Blog Awards today. The awards are now in their second year and seek to highlight the best English-language blogs in Taiwan. Bloggers can register for the awards during November with voting from 1-20 December. There is an overall award for the best blog and awards for eight different categories.

This year a new feature has been added to the awards. As well as popular online voting, there will also be peer-judged awards. These will be judged by a team of leading Taiwan bloggers.

“I hope the awards can bring more attention to the many great blogs about Taiwan. These blogs provide a unique window on Taiwan life,” said David Reid one of the coordinators of the awards.

Taiwanderful is a community website managed by David Reid and Gilad Feldman. David is the author of the popular Taiwan blog, David on Formosa. Gilad, based in Hong Kong, blogs about Asia at Fili’s World.

Full details of the awards are available at: Taiwanderful: Taiwan Best Blog Awards 2009.

The 2009 Taiwan Blog Awards is a post from: My Several Worlds

© 2007 My Several Worlds

Giant tortoise, Singapore Zoo. Photo by Carrie Kellenberger.

Photo Moment: Slow Mover is a post from: My Several Worlds

© 2007 My Several Worlds

Who says you can’t travel and look fashionable? Canadian fashion designer Jenna Pearce is so inspired by her life abroad that she has developed her own clothing line, Rice Society, here in Taiwan. As our third and final interview on nomadic artists who are living out their dreams on the other side of the ocean, Jenna demonstrates that all you need is a little gumption to follow the path to your heart’s greatest desires.

Taiwan peeps, don’t forget to head on down to Huashan Culture Park this Saturday and Sunday to show your support for Jenna!

MSW: Thanks very much for agreeing to the interview Jenna. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

JP: Clothes have been something I’ve thought about everyday since I was a little kid. In Grade 4, I remember watching FTV (Fashion Television) and seeing a model open her fur coat at the end of the runway to reveal her bare chest. Whoa! I was hooked after that, and watched it almost everyday after school. I was amazed with the fashion world, totally obsessed. I started making my own clothes when I was about 16. I discovered the rave scene, and made new outfits for each party. It was a good place to nurture my creativity. (I think I rocked a huge Erykah Badu style head wrap with rainbow stripes and a matching dress to one party. Over the top ridiculous, but fun!)

I came to Taiwan in 2002 to teach English, and became even more inspired with fashion, as there was just so much going on. It blew my mind. I took a Singer sewing course here teaching dressmaking techniques and basic pattern making, but the class only left me with the desire to learn more, much more. I got into the Fashion Design program at Blanche MacDonald, moved to Vancouver for a year and a half to complete the intensive training, and graduated with Honors in 2006. Shortly after school, I made a dress for Miss B.C. to compete for Canada in the Miss World Pageant. I returned to Taiwan CNY of 2007 and have been doing custom work under my label, Rice Society, ever since. I love collaborating on outfits for private clients, with my vision adapted to their preferences. I think fit is extremely important, as it is what makes you look and feel the best in a garment. As a small independent designer, I have the flexibility to do one-of-a-kind garments that aren’t restricted by factory sizing, production or pattern requirements.

MSW:  In addition to teaching, you are also making a living as a fashion designer. How did you first become involved in the industry here in Taiwan?

JP: I really wanted to keep up the momentum I gained in university after coming back to Taiwan, so I began by buying fabric and getting seamstresses to sew up garments for myself. I had a lot of conflicts over how I wanted it made, how the pattern should be cut, what correct fabric to use, etc. I just wanted more control. After one particularly embarrassing episode, I got fed up and bought my own Juki industrial sewing machine so I didn’t have to rely on someone else (or pay them tons of money). A Singer serger soon followed. That gave me the freedom to make clothes whenever I wanted! I made custom garments for myself and clients, mostly friends. My outfits caught the attention of Rock In Hose, Taiwan’s foremost Burlesque Troupe, and I outfitted all 5 members with leggings to use for their performances. As a result of this, the leggings were picked up by a local store, NEU, which I am still stocking. I started my blog, Rice Society, at the beginning of September as a way to promote my clothing line,Rice Society, and be a part of the online fashion community.

MSW: Would you say that your ideas and creativity have changed with your move to Asia?

JP: Definitely, after all, I named my company Rice Society. Asian culture has so much to offer. I would say I’m more inspired because my surroundings are different, there’s always something new to discover. I feel more open here, more comfortable to be myself. I can wear anything I want, and rock it to 711 without fearing what someone might say. I felt more pressure to dress appropriately in Canada, so I wasn’t as brave.

MSW: How has Asian fashion influenced your designs?

JP: During university, my senior collection was based on the 8 Lucky Signs of the Buddha. I incorporated each of the symbols into a garment in different ways. The one I’m most proud of, and most controversial, was a cashmere jacket that had interlocking swastika symbols cut-out of a quilted pattern twisting around from hem to hood. When I came to Asia, I was so shocked to find the swastika on temples. I was so confused. I learned that the Nazis stole this Buddhist symbol of power, and brainwashed the most of the western world with it. I wanted people in the west to know what I learned, so I made the jacket to serve as a dialogue. I can’t help but be inspired with the culture around me, the symbols, the meanings, the patterns, the history. I am always on the lookout for local specialties.

I noticed when shopping, a lot of clothes had interesting ideas, but there were just too many details to make it worth buying. Simplistic designs are often seen as boring, rather than classic. A huge problem for foreigners is that most of us are not a size 4, so there is a demand for clothes that actually fit, which is why I love doing custom so much. It’s really alarming when you’re shopping for jeans and all they carry is a 25″ waist. I want to make clothing more accessible to women who aren’t finding what they’re looking for. Fashion is for everyone, not just the teeny tiny body types.

MSW:  Can you tell us a little about Rice Society? Have you set any goals with it?

JP: We are part of a global society. We all eat rice, and we eat it how we want to. We wear clothes from around the world, and we wear them how we want to. As every culture adapts rice to their own tastes, every person adapts pieces of clothing to their own style.
Rice Society’s logo: 米 is pronounced “me” in Mandarin. It means one grain of rice.  Me -  means one kind of person. There’s nobody like me, and there’s nobody like you.

I design clothes depending on what I’m inspired with at the time. Everything is done in a limited run, and it’s usually made by myself, unless I get too busy and have to outsource help. I’ll be doing some custom New Year’s dresses, and love to do one-of-a-kind original designs!

I’m planning a collection that is inspired by 50s Mexican Calendar girls with some traditional Hakka influences. I want nothing more than to quit my day job and follow my passion to design clothes full-time.

MSW: What is 100 outfits in 100 days? How did you come up with the idea?

JP: 100 Outfits in 100 days is just that. I can’t repeat any outfits (but I can repeat individual pieces), and I can’t buy anything new, at least not clothes, but shoes and accessories are allowed. All the money I would normally spend on clothes, I now spend on fabric because I wanna make new stuff to wear. Reduce, reuse, upcycle! The first time I heard about something like this was on the Missbehave website, which is no longer operational. They did “100 Days of Outfits”, but didn’t really keep it updated. The second place I saw it that really solidified it for me was in the book, ‘200 Projects to get you into Fashion Design’, where they suggested to do it for 3 months. Basically, I’m doing it test my creativity and force myself to make more clothes instead of just buying them.

MSW: How are you selling your work in Taiwan?

JP: Currently, I have signed up for 5 weeks at HuaShan Creative Market (#1 Sec.1 BaDe Rd.), which hosts a flea market every Sat. and Sun from 3-9, the last day being Nov.8th. I will be selling handmade earrings and necklaces, feather headbands, a few bags, and handmade garments. I make everything myself in my Taipei studio.

After HuaShan is over,  I’ll be wholesaling some items to Neu for a few of their locations around Taiwan, and working on custom orders for private clients and a few stylists. I post everything I make on my blog, and I can produce any of them in a custom size. Just ask! If any of your readers are interested in custom garments, they can send their inquiries to ricesociety@gmail.com, post on the blog, or come visit me at my HuaShan booth and have a chat!

MSW: Do you find that you are limited by the materials that are available here or do you think the industry has more to offer than North America?

JP: I think getting high quality fabric is a challenge here, as they always demand you buy 100 yards if you want the top of the line stuff.  That being said, there is a TON of fabric selection, it’s almost overwhelming. The trims and notions are cheaper, more accessible, and there’s enough selection to keep your creative juices flowing for years. Anytime I’m not sure what to make, I just go to the fabric market (& surrounding area) and I’m instantly inspired by everything I see – it gives me so many ideas! I think Taipei’s biggest benefit for the fashion industry is that the population’s so big, so there’s a market for everyone.

MSW: Where do you like to shop?

JP: Haha, well since I can’t shop at the moment, my favorite place has been the fabric market. But when I can shop, I find I spend the most money at Neu, PS Underground, WuFanPu, and random shops around ZhongXiao DunHua. I love all the DIY stores around Taipei Main! I’m also a big fan of suitcase salesmen, where ever they may be set up (like by Eslite, or Red Square in Ximen).

MSW: Do you have any tips for our readers who are interested in getting involved with fashion design in Taiwan?

JP: Learn how to sew! Make some connections. Get yourself out there! Get to know fabric vendors in the fabric market, because they are a great resource to have.  If you have ideas and drawings but can’t do pattern making or sewing, the 3rd floor in the fabric market on DiHua St. has some seamstresses willing to hook you up ~ but for a price. (Word of advice- don’t go to the old lady by the back entrance!)

MSW: Do you have any favorite web sites or blogs about Taiwan or fashion in Taiwan?

JP: Of course there’s the wealth of information on Waakao! for everything related to Taiwan, and your site always has interesting pictures and unique stories.

There are some cool Taiwanese fashion blogs you might wanna check, even if you can’t read Chinese and it’s just for the pictures.

www.petshopsgirl.com

Neu

Screaming Eyes

Some other favorite blogs I check a lot:

Style.com

Threadbanger

Dirty Flaws

Originals with Taste

MSW: What advice would you offer to others who are thinking of moving to Asia for a change of pace?

JP: Try out another continent first! jk…. Bring lotsa money! Moving anywhere is challenging at first. Whatever country you move to, it’s essential to learn the language, the culture, and build up a strong friendship base. It’s super important to research where you want to work, if there are jobs in your profession, and the legal way to do it. Find out the restrictions for foreigners in your industry. Visit the place first and see if you like it before committing! Have a Plan B, aka a return ticket. Or just leap!

Jenna’s Blog – Rice Society

Jenna on Twitter @jezelda

Email – ricesociety@gmail.com

MSW Interviews: Canadian Fashion Designer Jenna Pearce Rocking the Fashion Scene in Taiwan is a post from: My Several Worlds

© 2007 My Several Worlds

Please contact me at carrie@myseveralworlds.com or send me a message on Twitter @globetrotteri if you are interested in a link exchange. Only travel, ESL, and photography sites please.

CONSUMER TRAVEL SITES

Best Beaches in Asia

Best Tropical Islands in the World

Bootsnall

Enduring Wanderlust

itravelnet

Journey Pacific

Lay Your Head Here

Travel Blogs

Travel Wonders of the World

EXPAT BLOGS

Expat+HAREM

GLOBAL ARTISTS

Rice Society – Jenna Pearce Fashion Designer

REGIONAL TRAVEL BLOGS

NORTH AMERICA

CANADA

i Backpack Canada

Travel to Nova Scotia

CHINA

USA

Kaleidoscopic Wanderings

ASIA

BALI, INDONESIA

Bali Travel Guide

CHINA

An American in the Far East

Asian Ramblings

Expatriate Games

KOREA

On the Fringe

PHILIPPINES

Tourism Phillippines

Untwisted Vortex

TAIWAN

Andres in Taiwan

Best Beaches in Taiwan

Bloggers in Taiwan

David on Formosa

Fili’s World

Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas

Hiking Taiwan

iTainan

Mark Forman 2.0

Patrick Cowsill

Shu Flies :: life in Taiwan

Sponge Bear

The Life of Brian

Taiwanderful

Taiwan Photographers

Taiwanese Secrets Travel Guide

The Daily Bubble Tea

The New Hampshire Bushman

The Real Taiwan

The View From Taiwan

Taiwanese Secrets Travel Guide

Taiwan Photographers

Taiwan Photo of the Day

Tumbling in Taiwan

Waakao!

THAILAND

Dreaming of Hanoi

Issan Style

Transplanting Me

EUROPE

ITALY

Casa Dolcetto

Travel Calling

SOUTH AMERICA

RTW (’Round the World)

No Place Like Here

One.Year.Trip

The Backpacker Daily

The Road Forks

Two Go Round-the-World

Wild Junket

PERSONAL TRAVELOGUES

A Pair of Panties & Boxers

Dan’s Adventure

Escape the Shell

Folie a Deux

Happy Time Blog

Hop and Jaunt

Manali and Terry

Nomadic Notes

Migrationology

Pau Travels

Pommie Travels

Soultravelers3

The Asian Traveler

The Carey Adventures

The Professional Hobo

The Brooklyn Nomad

Travelogged

The Carey Adventures

Travel with Kids

Travels with Sandy

Travel Wonders of the World

Voyagner

Wanderings: Andy E. Williams

Wanderlust Diary

TRAVEL ADVICE

Backpacking Guide

Foxnomad

Hip Compass

Hip Compass Escapes

How to Take Travel Photos

How To Travel With Pets

How to Travel the World

My Good Travel Advice

Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site

Pyrodes.com

Travel Blog Advice

Travelbug

Travel Blissful

Travel Monkey

Twenty-Something Travel

The Traveling Tribe

Wanderlust and Lipstick

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHERS

A Photo a Day from Planet Earth

Craig Ferguson Images

Darren Melrose Photography

Neil Wade Photography

Nivin Kadar Photography

Ron Dubin Photography

Steven Vigar Photography

The Mere Trigger Finger

TRAVEL WRITERS

Almost Fearless – Freelance Writer Christine Gilbert

Snarky Tofu – Lonely Planet Author Joshua Samuel Brown

TEACH AND TRAVEL

ESL Activities

Reach to Teach Recruiting

Teach and Travel the World

Wandering Educators

GREEN TRAVEL BLOGS

Earth.org

Traveling the Green Way

Traveling Greener

GLOBAL FRIENDS AND CITIZENS OF THE WORLD

Bearbrick Love

Fighting Windmills

Knit and Play with Fire

Peder Hanson

The Lemon Spank

Wanderlust

LINKS is a post from: My Several Worlds

© 2007 My Several Worlds

Extraordinary people are doing extraordinary things all over the world. This month, MSW brings you a series of interviews with three nomadic artists, all from very different backgrounds. Global artist, published author and art educator, Elizabeth Briel, demonstrates that following your dreams and living a nomadic lifestyle is completely within reach if you have the determination and ambition to make it happen. Read on to find out how she did it.

MSW: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

EB: I paint sharp-witted women, print creepy-looking photographs of disappearing places, and write with an Asian focus. I prefer old techniques – like 19th century cyanotype blueprints – to make my images with a modern edge. You can see what I’m talking about here in my gallery. Frequently I’m told, “You’re quiet for an American.” Though I may speak politely, my attitude is anything but sweet.

MSW: You’re an artist and a writer. Have these two passions been enough to sustain your way of living over the past decade?

EB: It is a very different mentality to being something ["I'm an Artist"] vs. actually doing it ["I paint"]. I make art and I write – that’s my work. Has been ever since I can remember. In the past, I wasn’t paid for it; now I am. Frequently when people refer to their “passions” or things they “love to do,” they relegate them to the dustbin of dreams or hobbies. It can be a barrier to professionalism.

Previously, I often worked at day-jobs that added to my art/writing skills and offered travel opportunities. A selection: I designed portfolios for photographers and artists in New York; translated for antiques dealers in Paris and Avignon; painted and sandblasted art glass; wrote personal ads for lonely-hearts agencies around the US; gave painting workshops in Hong Kong; and assisted preferred passengers at the largest travel tour company in the US. When I worked at day-jobs, my focus was always on writing and art rather than the task at hand, as any former colleagues would agree.

MSW: Could you give us a breakdown of how you make an income?

EB: I sell work to collectors via my website and also do many projects with ThingsAsian Press. They have been gracious enough to give me full rein with my many interests. Projects have included illustration, travel-writing and -photography, and recent explorations in China. My bank account charts go up and down as sharply as Himalayan peaks, which scares the heck out of most sensible people. It’s a good thing I’m not sensible.

MSW: How did you get started on your Blueprint series?

EB: This is why I started working with Blueprints:

Beijing train station, Christmas Day 2004.

I’m in the midst of moving from Korea to Cambodia, and taking in sights along the way. It’s the journey of a lifetime, zipping through landscapes on high-speed trains, ferries, and planes. The only hitch? I’ve got 25 kilos of badly-packed baggage slowing me down every step of the way. In Beijing I’ve just lugged it across a crowded concourse, cursing the paints weighing me down. A significant portion of my bags are stuffed with heavy art supplies that I won’t be able to find in my final destination of Cambodia. Shivering in the unheated station, I’m trying to stuff the entire bag into the last big locker available. It won’t fit. Paint tubes tumble to the floor.

This is evidently not the way to travel.

There’s no way to fit it all in, and I lose what little composure I had left – hot tears roll down my red cheeks. A station-master sees me staring helplessly at my overflowing bag, and saves the day when he opens up the staff storage room. Soon afterwards I switch from painting to blueprints, one of the earliest forms of photography. Blueprints just require a couple of powders and sunlight – much easier to carry than the wax and oils I’d dragged through Beijing.

A year later, after a harrowing ride up unpaved roads on a 250cc dirtbike in southern Cambodia, I took hundreds of photos of decaying houses built by French colonists and Cambodian royalty. Princely drawing rooms, scarred with bullet-holes from battles between the Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese. These became my first blueprint series called Bokor in Blue.

MSW: Can you tell us about your Calendar Girls series?

EB: One afternoon I was on the ferry to Central, Hong Kong. As we pulled into Victoria Harbor, I noticed a skyscraper with letters that shouted: “Your Ad Here!” That evening I did an ink study for the first Calendar Girl, with “Your Ad Here” painted onto her left breast.

Advertising is Hong Kong’s greatest artform, and one of America’s too. It’s the art of seduction with words and images. Typical calendar girls smile silently while they advertise products like beer and cars, airlines and electric shops, to male clients. Naturally there is some variety depending on local tastes. BeerLao girls, for example, wear traditional Lao clothing, whereas the Pirelli tire girls wear nothing at all. My Calendar Girls usually wear the Chinese qipao.  They speak to the pressures in Asia and the West for pale skin, the compulsive slavery to work and fashion, and conformity to a demure feminine ideal. Their retro style refers to their timelessness and persistence. I’ve completed dozens of studies for this series, and will have many full-size works for an exhibition next year.

MSW: You published a children’s book with Things Asian in 2008. Can you tell us about it? Where did you find the inspiration for your book?

EB: At a deceptively simple request from my publisher – “What are your favorite parts of Hong Kong? Do some pictures and we’ll make a book about it.” – I roamed all over the territory for a few months on weekdays, camera in hand. I imagined taking my niece and nephew with me, and saw the wonders of the city through their eyes. Then I printed hundreds of images in the hot summer sun, and painted a few dozen of the best with translucent watercolors. You can see those that made the cut here.  There is only one full-color and one monochrome available of each image.

MSW: How have people responded to it?

EB: The response has been fantastic. It’s on sale around the world, both through distributors and online bookstores like the usual suspects (IndieBound, Amazon, etc). The illustrations have an ethereal effect, accentuated by the page design of ThingsAsian’s Janet McKelpin. After receiving requests from bookstores, the company has printed posters with selected images from the book, alongside the Chinese characters and English. I was very happy to have total freedom with this project; contrary to conventional practice, Tricia Morrissey wrote the text based on my images, rather than the other way round. The text is also bilingual: Traditional Chinese & Pinyin, as well as English.

MSW: You have another book set to be published in 2010. Would you like to explain what it will be about?

EB: It’s my journey through the back roads and rivers of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, on a quest to find the perfect paper. Along the way I scare a few librarians, am reprimanded by an eccentric for making assumptions about paper bleaching, speak with different hilltribes, and make friends with a motorbike smuggler. And fall a little in love with the peripatetic papermaker Dard Hunter, one of the very first American backpackers to come to Southeast Asia in the early 20th century.

The book [title TBD] is scheduled to come out late next year, and there will be two versions: one will be a limited edition Boutique Book, with some extra-special features, and the other will be your standard trade paperback.

MSW: You’ve got some incredible journeys coming up in the next year. What do you hope to accomplish?

EB: Next year looks like it could be one of the more exciting I’ve experienced on the planet so far. From February -> April I’ll be on the loose again, traveling in Europe and Asia. Plans are to sign the final papers for my studio in Sicily; revisit western China to check out opportunities there, take my sisters around Thailand, and a few other possibilities still up in the air.

Then, sometime between September-December next year, I’ll roam the East and West coasts of North America, talking about my book, art and travels to art students, book-lovers, Asiaphiles, and anyone else who will listen. Plans are to show some artwork during the tour as well. If you know of any organizations that would be interested in having me give a talk, they can get in touch with me here.

MSW: In addition to showcasing your artwork on your web site, you also feature travel ideas for artists. Can you expound on this a bit?

EB: I aim to inspire by example, for instance posting about my recent mobile studio in Lijiang and the artists I meet along the way. On Twitter, I frequently present specific art and travel opportunities, particularly those with an Asian focus. One of the most valuable aspects of travel is direct exposure to other assumptions than those we have in our home countries. Each culture in which I’ve spent significant time has shifted my perspective, and opened up new possibilities for my life and career.

MSW: Can you tell us a little more about what your goals are with your web site?

EB: My website is primarily an online portfolio of my writing and images. I have gotten most of my writing projects and met some of my collectors this way: it’s an easy-to-access repository of my projects and experiences. Recently I have integrated the blog with my website gallery, via Wordpress. Life, art, and my website are all in perpetual beta. Thanks to the very creative Nguyet Vuong, we are getting closer to a site that showcases my artwork as well as my writing.

MSW: We’d love to hear about how you got started teaching photography to Cambodian street kids during the Angkor Photo Festival.

EB: Now there you’ve got a case of being the right person in the right place at the right time. Some might call it luck; I call it a combination of my naivete, flexibility, and having the right qualifications.

In 2005 I started a project called Cameras for Cambodia, teaching photography to kids in Siem Reap, the town nearest Angkor Wat: that now-overrun World Heritage site. This was just as many people were finally getting rid of their last film cameras, so my project provided a convenient way for these cameras to have a second life. I didn’t ask for a dime from anyone. The call went out from my blog and spread to others; people from Holland to England to New Jersey sent me their film cameras. I’d travelled to Cambodia several times previously and had contacted several NGOs (non-governmental organizations) interested in having me teach their kids.

I showed up with a dozen of the best film cameras, and then interviewed a number of NGOs. Long story short, I chose the wrong NGO. After several months of working with them, I realized the organizers were helping themselves with the donations, not the kids. So when the opportunity came up to work with the Angkor Photo Festival, I was very happy to continue teaching photography, but with more resources and long-term continuity than possible with a solo project.

The festival is unusual in that it links very influential photojournalists and the international media directly to some of the most impoverished kids in Asia.

MSW: Was the project a success?

EB: Yes! Many of the kids I worked with have become fully integrated with the amazing programs over at Green Gecko Project,  and are doing fantastically well. Others are now continuing under the Festival’s Anjali project.

While there will be no city-wide festival this year, there will be workshops for Asian photographers. This has been an important opportunity for Southeast Asian photographers, particularly those from the Philippines.

MSW: What advice would you offer to others who are thinking of leading a nomadic lifestyle?

EB: There are many online resources available, depending on your country of choice, and your career. Geoexpat.com is one, they cover many countries. If you’re interested in Asia – where the best opportunities are, in my opinion — Asia Expat is good.

In any country, there are many factors that affect cost of living, and it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think. There are many more choices than are available to the casual visitor. By researching in depth, you’ll get an idea of what could be just around the corner from your expensive hotel. For example, most people believe that Hong Kong is costly. But I paid US$625/month for a two bedroom apartment next to the sea. More here.

If you have an idea of what your career goals are and have a Bachelor’s degree, you have a ridiculous number of choices available to you. Living in a country is a very different experience from travelling through it.

Travelling for years on end can lead to a real sense of dislocation; friends and lovers on the road are transient, and it can be hard to connect with those back home. Eventually, most nomads slow down their travelling to focus on building a life connected to a place where they’ve chosen to live. My goal is to split my time between two studio bases that offer interesting travel opportunities nearby, and create a well-connected life in each place. Rather than a home, I’m happy having a home base or two. This is all possible thanks to opportunities offered by the internet.

MSW: What’s next for Elizabeth Briel?

EB: My Sicilian studio will demand as much attention and infusion of cash as a new child, but hopefully the $2 bottles of local wine will ease the pain when I visit. It’s a long-term goal: I aim to create an affordable, creative retreat for selected artists and writers to work on their projects, while they enjoy the best of what the region has to offer.

Printing a series of large-scale Vietnamese Blueprints from my travels there last year.

Getting beyond newbie Mandarin (any advice re. online resources?) and Italian.

Designing products with the Calendar Girls images, on some of the unique handmade paper I’ve discovered this year. The Girls have been very popular with worldly women from Asia to North America.

I’m also exploring possibilities for a long-term Asian studio base in China/Hong Kong. We’re living in the Asian century: that’s where the world’s economic growth is, where some of the most exciting art is being produced, and where there’s the most room for cultural exchange. I’m very happy to be a part of it.

Thanks for your insightful questions, Carrie, and I look forward to staying in touch as we move forward in our careers and travels! It’s likely that we’ll cross paths sometime.

MSW: Thanks very much, Elizabeth, for taking the time to answer my questions.

Links

Gallery/Blog

Twitter

Facebook fan page

Elizabeth on Things Asian

MSW Interviews: Elizabeth Briel – Global Artist, Travel Writer, Perpetual Nomad is a post from: My Several Worlds

© 2007 My Several Worlds

If you haven’t heard the news already on Craig Ferguson Images or Taiwan Photographers, Taiwan’s first-ever English language lighting workshop is here!

Pro photographer, Craig Ferguson, is offering a terrific deal on an all-day photography workshop that teaches the ins-and-outs of working with flash equipment.

I attended his first workshop last Sunday. The course began at 10am with a thorough introduction on equipment and getting the flash off-camera. Craig did a great job explaining the five variables of exposure as well and gave us some practical tips and advice on how to get started.

The afternoon session was an absolute blast. We headed over to Huashan Culture Park and put theory into practice. Everyone got a chance to shoot some photos using umbrellas, soft boxes, snoots, and reflectors.

At 4pm, one of Taiwan’s top models, Jaclynn, showed up for a photo shoot and we had a terrific two-hour photo shoot. Here are some of my favorite images from the batch I shot last week.

I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Craig and his lovely wife, Selena, and to our models, Jaclynn and Patrick.

I highly recommend this workshop to anyone who has an interest in flash photography. For those of you who are not interested in flash photography, you can still join in the fun. Consider taking advantage of Craig’s portrait packages for the holiday season and send the perfect gift home to your loved ones.

Light Your World Workshop With Craig Ferguson is a post from: My Several Worlds

© 2007 My Several Worlds

ESL Icebreakers for All Ages and Abilities

The following is a list of ESL icebreaker activities for students of all ages and abilities. This page is constantly being updated, so please check back for more fun and interesting icebreaker activities for the ESL classroom. If you would like to suggest an activity that works for you, please use the contact form to get in touch. I’ll include a link to your web site on all of my ESL pages.

Icebreakers are activities that are generally used during the first class to help students relax, get acquainted, and establish goals. These activities can be a fun and interesting way to jumpstart your class.

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ESL Icebreaker Activities for zero-beginners: 3-6 years of age

There’s no doubt about it. These classes can be rough when it comes to the first few weeks of class. Not only are the little tykes traumatized about being in a new classroom, but they’re also being taught by a big, scary, strange-looking teacher they can’t understand. Count yourself extremely lucky if you make it through the first class without anyone crying or throwing a temper tantrum, and don’t feel bad if it happens.

l   Teach your students a simple little song and dance with hand gestures. A great online resource for teaching with music is Super Simple Songs.

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ESL Icebreaker Activities for beginners or low-intermediate: 6-10 years

Name-based activities such as the English Name Game always work well with small groups of students. Ask your students to sit in a circle. Ask a student to begin by saying his/her name. The next student says his/her name and repeats the name of the previous student. Keep going around in a circle until someone makes a mistake. Repeat.

The Musical Hand Shake

is a lot of fun for younger kids. Play some music and ask the students to walk around the room shaking other student’s hands. Stop the music. Each student should be shaking hands with someone else. The students have to ask each other  a simple question. Start playing the music again. Students have to ask a different question each time the music stops. They should find someone new each time. At the end of the game, ask them if they can remember what they found out about each other.

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ESL Icebreaker Activities for high school intermediate-language learners: 12+ years

Who am I? is a super-fun game that most kids can relate to. Bring some Post-It notes to class and ask each student to write down the name of a famous person. Collect the Post-It notes and redistribute them among the classroom by putting a note on each student’s back or forehead. The game begins with a student asking yes-or-no questions about the name on his or her Post-It note.

Me Too is a fun game that works well with small and large groups. Have everyone sit together in a circle. Everyone in the group gets 10 poker chips/pennies/paper clips etc. Start the game by saying something that you have done. For example: I have gone skating. Everyone who has gone skating throws one poker chip in the middle of the table and repeats the sentence. Go around the circle until everyone has had a chance to say something. Continue the game until someone runs out of poker chips.

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ESL Icebreaker Activities for advanced learners: 14+ years

Older students and adults can be difficult to engage in conversation at first. They don’t like to play games, they are generally there for a very specific learning goal, and they don’t want to waste valuable time. Another thing to keep in mind is that with these kinds of classes, the learning level of each student usually varies dramatically. If you can, try to do some homework on your students ahead of time.

One way to begin class is to hold a general Q&A session. Everyone in the class asks you a question. Answer the questions and then have them write down as many things as they can remember about you. Collect their notes. This simple activity helps you learn about your students’ listening and writing skills.

Please visit Wandering Educators for more ESL icebreaker activities.

ESL ICEBREAKER ACTIVITIES is a post from: My Several Worlds

© 2007 My Several Worlds

Are you planning to travel this October? Why not add some of the world’s spookiest haunted attractions to your itinerary? From scary walking tours and haunted accommodations to sites of tragic religious intolerance and catastrophes, these haunted destinations and attractions are bound to make the scariest month of year frightfully interesting!

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1. Salem, Massachusetts

The infamous Witch Trials of 1692 make Salem, Massachusetts one of the top haunted destinations in the United States. Visitors to Salem can experience the haunted tales and mysteries surrounding the Witch Trials firsthand by visiting one of many museums in the area or embarking on a guided walking tour led by some of Salem’s leading witches. Discover one of several family-oriented haunted attractions and scare yourself silly.

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2. The Cemeteries of New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, one of the oldest cities in the US, is known as the City of the Dead for good reason. In addition to having a long history of war heroes, plague victims, voodoo queens, and horrid catastrophes, the city’s cemeteries actually look like miniature cities. The citizens of the dead are housed above ground in rows of family tombs that resemble ornate houses. Back in the day, burial plots would become submerged in water, because the city sits mostly below sea level. Watery graves, floating coffins, and noxious fumes were the end result and became a major source of contamination. Following a series of nasty epidemics in the early 1830’s, city officials decided that all further bodies would be buried in tombs above ground. Some of the most famous cemeteries in New Orleans are the Lafayette Cemeteries, Metairie Cemetery, and the St. Louis Cemeteries.

3. Manila Film Center, Philippines

Back in the 80s, construction teams were rushing to complete the the Manila Film Center in time for a film festival. An untimely accident claimed the lives of several construction workers. Rather than give the workers a proper burial, the contractors allegedly poured concrete over the remains in order to keep on schedule. Since then, visitors have reported hearing strange voices throughout the Film Center.

4. Yu Shan Fan Hotel, Chengde, China

The Yu Shan Fan Hotel in Chengde, China is a 220-room hotel located on the Yangtze River. Although it is a popular spot with summer vacationers, it is also known for scaring the daylights out of its guests. The ghost of Dowager Empress Cixi is said to haunt the hotel and grounds.

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5. Marfa, Texas
The town of Marfa is well-known for its mysterious reddish-orange lights. The spherical lights where first seen in the late 1800s by early settlers in the area and have appeared in all kinds of weather, moving at slow to high speeds. Some claim to have seen the lights moving up and own, while others have seen them divide into separate balls of light. Sometimes they blink on and off, sometimes they shine like spotlights, and sometimes they glow softly like the stars. Photographers and filmmakers have caught these lights in action, but their existence has never been unexplained.

6. The Old Montreal Ghost Walking Tour

A ghost tour of Old Montreal is bound to send chills up your spine. Les Fantomes de Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal Ghosts) offers a variety of tours, including a traditional ghost walk around the streets, alleyways, and piers of Old Montreal. This walk includes the locations of historical events such as political gatherings, fires, hangings, crimes, ghostly appearances, heroic acts, and unexplained mysteries. Visitors arrive at each destination and are greeted by a ghostly apparition who tells the story and circumstances of their untimely demise. Each haunting ghoul refers to different aspects of life in New France in the 17th and 18th century.

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7. The Rose Hall Great House – Montego Bay, Jamaica

The Rose Hall Great House is a popular tourist attraction in Jamaica because of the spooky stories and legends surrounding its mistress, Annie Palmer. Palmer arrived at Rose Hall in 1820 and was well-known for abusing her slaves. Locals believed she was a Black Witch because she brutally tortured her slaves. Legend has it that she murdered at least one of her slaves and three of her husbands.

8. Singapore

Singapore is home to a number of paranormal activities and it also holds the honor of being Asia’s most haunted city. The Old Changi Hospital, once a military hospital, is haunted by the spirits of soldiers looking for a way home. The morgue is said to be a  hot spot for ghost sightings. Other parts of the city are equally ghoulish. Certain MRT stations are terrorized by headless apparitions, while the ghosts of the poverty-stricken at Lor Halus haunt the streets begging for food and money. The Punggol White House in the Fort Sentosa District is haunted by a family that committed suicide together, while on East Coast Beach, strange lights have be seen sparkling through Hougang School. Changi Beach in Singapore is an especially frightening place at night. Thousands of Chinese were tortured and killed there during the Sook Ching Operation because they were suspected of being anti-Japanese. Today, visitors have reported hearing strange noises and seeing headless bodies walking along the beach.

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9. The Catacombs Museum – Paris, France

The Paris Catacombs are a maze of tunnels and crypts underneath the streets of the city. They were created at the end of the 18th century when the city cemeteries started running out of space. Improper burial techniques had caused the cemeteries to become a source of infection, and city officials decided to move the bones of the dead to their final resting place in an underground section of quarries in Paris between 1786 and 1788. The catacombs are thought to contain the remains of 6 to 7 million Parisians.

10. The Tower of London – London, England

Executions, torture, and murder are all a part of history at the Tower of London. The tower was once a prison for the crown of England. Hundreds of ghost sightings are reported here each year, and include the spirit of Ann Boleyn, one of Henry VI wives, who was beheaded in 1536. Other ghosts include Henry VI, Thomas Beckett, Sir Walter Raleigh, and the Countess of Salisbury.

11. The White House – Washington D.C., USA

The White House is a hot spot for ghost hunters, who say that the ghosts of several former presidents haunt many of the rooms there. Abraham Lincoln is the most frequent apparition in the White House, having been spotted several guests, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, and Calvin Coolidge’s wife. Other presidents have also made the rounds in the White House. President Harrison has been seen and heard, as well as Andrew Jackson and Abigail Adams.

12. Bhangarh Fort in Rajasthan, India

The most haunted place in India is in Rajasthan. According to legend, a black magic tantrik cursed the fort by proclaiming that anyone who died there would be trapped in the palace without the possibility of rebirth. It is said that nobody returns from this place after dark. The Indian Government has prohibited people from staying in the area after sunset.

13. 50 Berkeley Square in the United Kingdom
There are several stories surrounding the haunting of 50 Berkeley Square. One legend recounts the murder of a young girl by a servant. Another legend is of a young woman who lived in the house with her evil uncle. She perished while trying to escape from a window. Since then, the top floor is said to be haunted. Strange noises, ghostly apparitions, and strange mists have been seen in the area. 50 Berkeley Square is now occupied by a bookshop and the employees are not allowed to go up to the top floor.

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HAVE A POSITIVELY GHOULISH HALLOWEEN!

13 of the World’s Spookiest Travel Destinations is a post from: My Several Worlds

© 2007 My Several Worlds