Feel free to leave something behind…

The relaunch of this site is coming.

I have many stories and memories and photos to share. If you ever want to know, just ask. I’ll be more than glad to tell you.

It has been interesting coming back from this trip. I really haven’t had time to reflect or think must because as soon as came home, school began again. Whew! The joys of living in a fast pace society.

I think the one thing I’ll being home with me is the sense of community that people have over there. Everything is done in groups. Everyone is family. Once a friend, always a friend! And I like it. It is something we here in America have gotten away from. Really, how many of us know our neighbors? The people we see walking outside our ridiculous sized houses? I’m guilty of that as well. Community, it seems, is a lost art, dead to Americans as we pursue our selfish life styles. I will try my best to break this mold from now on.

I’m still putting pictures up on my site. Feel free to go there! Ill have over 100 eventually. School is kicking my butt, so when I get the time I will put more and more pics up. It might be a month project =D

Thanks again to all the supported me. I’m surprise at how many people actually read this. Thanks!

Again check me pictures out! Here is the website

http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b261/tcritty/Ty%20in%20Asia/

So long! Farewell!

As much as I think I’m ready to come home at times, I know that once I board the plane, I’ll want to stay. It is depressing to think that next week I will be sitting in class. Its completely weird how things change.

I really enjoy it over here. Wish us safe travels. I guess it will be nice to have boneless skinless chicken breasts! Yes! I’m not sure if I can use a fork and knife anymore. haha. Kidding- I hope.

Yesterday, our team and the 50 asian students we are working with went to elementary schools. Only maddness occured. At the first school, students surrounded us, and every so violently pushed in. Before we knew it, kids were grabbing at us from all sides and in ALL places. haha. Turns out I am a hairy guy.

The second school seemed a little less crazy in the beginning. At first, they matched outside to where the stage was located in straight army like lines. Once we did our presentation, the our team was to break up and go to some of the classrooms. Then all heck broke loose. I think, though I am not sure, the principal told the kids to choose and American to go to their classroom. This command produced a roit of small children barreling towards us. I was finally dragged off by 5 little 3.5ft tall asian girls into their classroom. With the arrival of their found American, the entire classroom exploded with cheeful chaos. I was able to teach them some english, but as little kids they really didn’t know much. So, I decided to take pictures. If anyone has ever ventured into an asian classroom, you should know that busting out a camera will only cause even more roiting. I spent the next 20 minutes trying to get pictures while signing all their worksheets and books. INSANITY! I was acquired some gifts from students. Pretty funny.

Once that was over, we left the school at the same time as the students. We had a trail of kids following us through out the city. This only caused some of the locals to come out of their stores to see our parading.

I’m going to miss being a rock star at schools. I’m guessing US students aren’t so welcoming. Haha.

The last few days have been quite fun. Again, the students english is not all that good. It is getter better, and they are understanding us more, but much of what we say needs translated. Therefore, we work through actions. Playing cards, going around the city, playing games, movies, all these things just to build relationships. It’s been fun, but quite challenging.

Yesterday was our day off. We went white water rafting. Of course, the asian way of transportation is to shove as many people in one vechile as possible. On this lovely day, we shoved 16 (three complete strangers for those who are counting) into a 9 passenger compact van. We then proceeded to drive for 3 hours in one direction for a combined trip of 6 hours. My front legs rested on Matt’s lap for most the trip. The scenery was amazing though! And amazing $6 the rafting was worth it (even though Matt and I had problems getting hung up on rocks with our small, 2 person raft).

Today, the students and us went to a disabled school. It was great! It was the first school to have a presentation prepared for us! One blind girl sang a solo, and she was quite impressive. It’s a great reminder of how different gifts are distributed.

This evening, we watched the Pricness bribe with subtitles! Haha. Now the asians now of hte great joy that comes from such an excellent movie.

One week before traveling back to the US. Keeping thinking about us! Thanks!

1） The students don’t have real good english skills。 Its hard to communicate with them all。

2） This stupid computer is trying to translate everything I type into chinese， which doensnt work because im typing in english！ haha。

3）Its alot hotter here！ It will be almost 100 degrees on Monday。 Whew！

4） As the only non asians in the city， everyone looks at you very oddly！

5） The city champions of basketball challenged the other guys on our team to a basketball game（I dont play basketball） and they are promoting it in the newspaper。 Haha！

Well， this how translate to chinese program is driving me crazy！More later！

“the last few days have been quite interesting. saturday and sunday we stayed at that resort. i had to bike there. on monday, we were coming home. i was riding my bike pretty quickly. i went to pass an old man on his bike. i was going to pass him on the right (its doable here! haha). anyway. in the process of passing he moved right (chinese NEVER look where they are going. its crazy!). anyway, he cut me off. my bike didnt really have breaks and it was raining. i had to jump off my bike going pretty fast. luckily, i wasnt hurt too bad. its a real blessing. i didnt have a helmet or anything! im pretty scraped up on my right knee and elbow. the right side of my entire body is bruised pretty good cause i tried to lay out in order not to break anything. so that was fun. the boss helped me out im pretty sure.

so then after that we left for the second city. we had to take a train. turns out there is no room for luggage. it again was crazy. he had to find spots for luggage etc. i had to sit next to a bathroom whose door didnt close. it smelled ssssoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo bad. ugh. haha. culture.

we stopped for the evening then headed to hte to our new city the this morning. haha. again the train. less crowded.. but its good story. kids wear split pants here so they can go to the bathroom just about anywhere the parents desire. so this one parent decided to take his baby boy potty in the trash can i was sitting next too. so he split the pants and had the kid pee while holding him by the legs. to make things better, he stood about 3 feet from the trash can. about 50% made it into the trash can. the rest on the floor. gross. the bathroom was right around the corner. haha. we all laughed.”

thats that! its alot different here. we are the only foreigners. everyone is taking pictures. we are rock stars now haha.

night.

On Friday, we finished our time with the students with a talent show. Our group redid a camp song. Its always an experience due to the fact none of the workers ever speak English at the place we go. After that, we enjoyed a “campfire” in the school with candles serving as the fire. We said thanks. We said goodbye. Sad really. I have spent almost every waking moment with these students for the last 2 weeks, and now suddenly, just as we arrived into their lives, we are gone. Hopefully we were able to help them in some sort of way on their journey of life.

The amusement park we went to on Wednesday and Thursday was great. Amazingly good time despite the rain. A bug just flew into my ear. Haha.

Sorry, just a random tangent. Now we are preparing to move to the next city to do that same thing all over again. This time the students know less English which will pose an interesting challenge. Please be thinking of us.

Now I go to rest, write, and read. What fun!

Thanks for staying tuned to the adventure. 3 weeks left!

Sorry. I made a mistake on my last post. I wasn’t thinking.

The realization of a 5 week trip is starting to sink it. Its been a week and a half, and because we have done so much, it feels like 1 month which forces me to realize that this trip will be long. I am loving every minute of it, but it is tiring.

The food is still good and weird though lately I’ve had to stomach problems. I’m hoping they clear up.

The last few days we have been spending time in the local schools trying to encourage English learning and literacy. It has been interesting trying to teach large groups of junior highers English vocabulary when they barely speak the language. Its been a great challenge though. All you can do it laugh, smile, and play hook-up tag (turns out all Asian students love this game).

I’ve been taking pictures like mad. I’m already over 300 pictures within this first leg of the trip. Its so addicting. To make matters worse, the Rebel is such a sweet camera, and within moments of me breaking the thing out, I can have almost 100 pictures in no time. I’m trying to slow it down, but who can resist a picture of a cute little old Asian woman selling fruit? Its hard.

Bargaining is quickly becoming a new hobby of mine. Everything is SE Asia is negotiable. Its pretty amazing and fun! I just bargain to bargain now. Its great. Once you have to pattern of 1) letting them set the first price 2) you countering with a ridiculously low price 3) them giving a you knew offer 4) you through some Asian phrases and walking away, the price is pretty darn low. Amazing! And fun! I’m gonna try it back in the states for sure!

Tomorrow we are going with the students to an amusement park. Very tiny place. Anyone who has been on this trip knows what I’m talking about.

I’m out! Thanks for reading! Still another month or so to go!

The last few days have been quite awesome. We meet up with our Chinese students on Tuesday. My group is very nice, and speak enough quite well. They have been taking us to some interesting places to eat. Today I had liver and bone stew. Minimum!

Yaungshou is an very unique city. It has a large tourism industry because of the mountains and the views all around. People are everywhere! Street vendors hassle you everywhere you go! Its alot to take in at times. But city life is fun. I walk to a bakery (Chinese baked goods are nothing like that of America’s- a lot less sugar for sure!) for breakfast every morning.

Yesterday, we went to Moon Hill. I must say, it is in the top 5 of most amazing places every visited. Moon Hill is a small mountain in which the summit is comprised of an arch. Once you climb the arch, you can see many small villages nestled in a range of mountains. Unbelievable. My pictures look fake. I have to wait until I get home to put pictures up. Sad, I know.

Today, we did some community service work in a forgotten garden. More on that one at some other time.

Tomorrow, we are visiting a school. I

‘m pretty pumped for this. Should be interesting! I must go now. Have a good one all! Keep thinking!