live & learn

Meeting Min

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:28:00 +0000

I met Min 4 years ago. He commented, via Flickr, on some of the pictures I took in Burma while studying abroad in 2006. Since then, we've chatted online fairly often. Now he's a graduate student at ABAC Hua Mark campus, in BKK. He also runs an online business; f lashband.net. Today was the day I went to ABAC to meet Min. Tyler and I hopped on bus 99 and cruised through BKK to get to ABAC. Min picked us up at the bus stop and we went to C Building to meet some of Tyler's friends teaching at ABAC. Then I went to Min's house and met his family. Needless to say, it's great to finally meet Min.

Locals

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 23 May 2010 03:40:00 +0000

Thai people are very kind and hospitable. With an early smile and wai, they are at ease and friendly. I've been fortunate to meet many early on, through Loyola teachers finishing up their year contract at Saint Gabriel's College.

Recently Sarah and I went out to visit a friend of hers near Wat Songachai, southeast BKK. We met many people for the first time. They immediately offered us food, drink, cool towels, and accommodated us with what little English they knew. We watched futbol on TV but after a bit they put the game on the radio and changed the TV to, you guessed it, karaoke. Because let's be honest. The one thing that holds humanity together is singing songs poorly with a group of friends.

"Because I.. caaaan't helppp.. faaaalling in looove..with..yoooouuuu!!!" Coming to a Thailand Idol near you.

Here I go!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:54:00 +0000

My first post from Thailand! This will be a public journal of sorts. But you only get the PG rated stuff :-P

I'm here. In Bangkok, Thailand. Specifically living on the campus of Saint Gabriel's College, the primary/secondary school in which I teach 6th grade Math in the English language. School hasn't started yet because of the political situation. The government informed schools to not open until Monday, May 24. We'll see if they push it back again.

The red shirt protests have been going on in Bangkok for 2 months. Only today did the protest leaders surrender to police and encourage their followers to go home. They did so after the military cracked down on their main camp in the 'heart' of Bangkok. Arson and looting have ensued. The government called for an 8pm curfew tonight so the streets are now completely empty. No cars, no people, no noise but the insects. Rather eerie for Bangkok. I can't hear a thing from my apartment's roof. Quite peaceful actually. A stark contrast to the gunfights and arson that are happening in the red zone. I can still see the smoke rising from Central World, the second largest mall in Asia. But I can't hear more than the crickets, and occasional bat flying overhead...

Update: The curfew has been extended for the next couple nights. Nothing burning anymore downtown.

That's all that's happening on this first post, but get excited!, there will be plenty more to come.

Here's a video from my apartment's roof;

One Love

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:57:00 +0000

The Warrior!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 02:46:00 +0000

I Love the Whole World

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:19:00 +0000

Boom de yada!

BHO on global student competitiveness

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:49:00 +0000

I wish a presidential nominee told me this freshman year of highschool...

Cuban Rocker

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:37:00 +0000

A week ago I shared a story about a dissident Cuban rocker. As coincidence has it, CNN just did a little piece on him...

Racoon in Residence

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:52:00 +0000

Ninjas join war on drugs

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:31:00 +0000

Justice from the shadows...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/24/police-arrest-ninja-team_n_120970.html

Laugh out Loud

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:23:00 +0000

http://www.akenini.com/imagesfun/mini_animations/80.gif

Laughing Babies

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:55:00 +0000

The best ever:

http://www.saynotocrack.com/index.php/2008/04/25/the-laughter-of-babies/

President 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:58:00 +0000

I need to get on my horse when it comes to the 2008 presidential election. In four months we will be electing the leader of our country, which is (IMHO) the most influential country in the world. Thus we will be electing, arguably, and again, IMHO, one of the most influential people in the world. We owe it to ourselves to make an educated decision. The least I can do is research the candidates to the best of my ability before making a choice. If you have any opinions or research you'd like to point me towards, feel free. In fact, feel encouraged. This should be a communal process. If anything, we can learn about what's important in each others lives and how BO and JM presidencies would affect those areas. I am about to get an education in American politics. Wish me luck.

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:12:00 +0000

格里高利华特斯

apparently this is what my name looks like in pinyin. pronounced - "ge li gao li hua te si"
no wonder i never heard anyone pronounce my name with r sounds...

The world I know 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:55:00 +0000

Click to Play

Song is The world I know by Collective Soul.
(Version 2.0)

Peace.

Who is singing this song?

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:50:00 +0000

Anyone know the reggae artist who is doing this cover of Bill Withers' 'A Lovely Day'?

Rebecca this song is off one of your CD's. Any idea?

Sorry it's not a video, but I uploaded it like one..

Do we baby children?

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 02:16:00 +0000

I think we baby children too much. Instead of conversing with them as little people, we treat them as if they wouldn't understand our 'adult talk'. It's as if we talk down to them. Children can engage in thoughtful conversation if you give them the chance and use language they understand. What a perfect time for children to learn and understand the importance of thoughtful conversation. Wouldn't this have a positive effect, all around, on their development?

Change of direction

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 03:59:00 +0000

I decided I'm not going to make this a blog focused centrally on pictures/video/travel stuff. Initially I thought about doing something to that end. But it becomes just another place to post stuff and I'm already doing that on flickr, blip.tv, and facebook. So this blog is reverting to being about me and my life and anything that seems interesting to me. So there's a little change in direction for you...

Americans vs Vietnamese: FUTBOL

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 02:15:00 +0000

Click to Play

We won. They let us beat them, then tried to bring out their all-stars for the second game, which we bet on. We showed them the meaning of American-Sized. Watch Tyler step up and play the hero in this one.

Monkeys drinking our water (Cambodia)

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:33:00 +0000

Click to Play

The little monkey moves aside for a larger monkey, while two other monkeys play at our feet. There were many more monkeys around us eating, sleeping, playing, or grooming.

Work and Religion (Burma)

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:59:00 +0000

While riding my bike along in Bagan, I saw this common scene of field work. The backdrop temple and pagodas represent the Theravada Buddhist religion practiced here. The number of temples and pagodas in Burma is overwhelming, yet Bagan is in a league of it's own with hundreds in view from one location.

Potala Palace (Tibet)

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:51:00 +0000

Until recently, home to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. This photo was taken from the rooftop of our hotel in Lhasa.

Angkor Wat (Cambodia)

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:30:00 +0000

The Angkor region in Cambodia was the seat of power for the Khmer empire; the largest continuous empire in South East Asia. Angkor Wat, initially constructed as the capital city of the Khmer kingdom, is the largest temple in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site. First Hindu and now Buddhist, the temple has become a symbol of Cambodia, even appearing on it's national flag.

The Forbidden City (China)

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 01:23:00 +0000

The Forbidden City served as the home of the emperor and his household, and the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government. The world's largest surviving palace complex, The Forbidden City is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, listed as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

HaLong Bay (Vietnam)

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 21:13:00 +0000

We spent the day on the water at this beautiful UNESCO site, HaLong Bay. Highlights included walking through a cave, buying lunch at a floating market, and general R&R on our boat.