The Zen of Juggling

Recently, I finally learned to juggle. While growing up, I tried to learn but could never get the hang of it, and began to wonder if it was some sort of magic.

Watching people juggle as I got older, I thought I could learn, but never truly focused on it. I was even brought into a show by a street performer on Granville Island in Vancouver, and this guy was juggling six swords. I stared in awe, but then thought 'I could learn to do that.' I mean, not the swords bit - only the juggling - and maybe with three balls to start.

Then a couple weeks ago (four years later), after pondering the topic of concentration, I said to myself, 'Okay, I can do this. I'm going to learn to juggle.' I cracked open a fresh can of Wilson tennis balls, and headed for Youtube, where else? I typed in "Learn How to Juggle," and the first video had a really good thumbnail, so I didn't feel the need to scroll down. "Learn 3 Balls in 10 Mins" it said, and expanded to full screen.

Feeling inspired, I picked up the two Wilsons and followed the instructions from the video, and started to get the pattern down. Ok yes, I realize it's only two, but still felt confident. Now, it was time to move to three. Feeling slightly more nervous, I began following the juggler's lead.

However, it wasn't quite working. I knew what was wrong - I was scared to let go of the third ball. Maybe floating around in my subconscious were the times as a boy when I would get into trouble making dents in the walls at home throwing baseballs or shooting tennis balls with a hockey stick. Gradually, I let go of the third ball more and more even though it flew every which way.

                                       

Starting to get the motion, I wanted to diversify my video intake and scroll within Youtube this time, searching for a new video for inspiration. I stopped at the fifth video on the list, and said to myself, 'that guy looks familiar.' Turns out, it was a guy I had met Taipei just two weeks earlier in my apartment at a birthday party for a flatmate. We had exchanged info at the party, and I messaged him right after telling him about learning to juggle, and later thanked him for being one of my teachers. The randomness sometimes found in Taipei is off the charts.

I love the concentration required for juggling. If you try to watch each of the balls in the air, you'll fail because it's happening too fast to keep up. So your eyes are fixed on a point in the air, using your touch and peripheral vision to create and manage a throwing pattern. While you're juggling, you're only focused keeping the balls in the air with rhythm - there aren't any other distractions that inhibit you from doing what you need to do.

More recently, I listened to Siddhartha, the classic novel by Hermann Hesse, on Librivox. If you're not familiar with the story, it's about a man's spiritual journey during the time of Buddha, from the son of a brahmin to leaving home on a journey of self discovery, only to lose his way, and be left with nothing - or so it seems...

After Siddhartha had lost his way due to bad decisions, he reunites with a ferryman that he had encountered previously on his journey, and the ferryman invites Siddhartha to stay with him. Siddhartha learns the art of ferrying and raft building, among other skills, which increase his happiness to levels not seen since he had been a young man. This was due to his perseverance and confidence that led to success in the learning process. And it's the same in learning to juggle.

Juggling has been proven to stimulate neural connections and improve cognitive function related to movement, vision, and focus, according to a study by Oxford University. For me, learning how to juggle and practicing the art has promoted a sense of calmness and deep concentration.

You won't become a zen master or a genius by learning to juggle, but you will have learned an exciting skill that you can enjoy for the rest of your life, bringing you that much more happiness, and propel you into learning new skills. If you already know how to juggle, go for four balls! Or try to best this kid, which is my next challenge!

Now I'm 'Going Colonial'

Over the past few number of months, I've taken a break from my personal blog to focus on a project I've been working on. This project is a new travel blog focused on traveling through a colonial architecture lens, which means providing travel advice while also promoting the beautiful colonial structures at each destination. It's called "Going Colonial."

Even though where I live currently, Taiwan, has a fair share of colonial architecture from the Japanese colonization, it wasn't until a trip to Hong Kong where I really discovered it. Colonial architecture is as diverse as it is important to our history, and I fell in love with its elegance and grandeur.

I'm really excited about this new venture as I have become a better traveler over the past two years living abroad and have learned much about a subject that people don't know much about currently. I want to share colonial architecture with the world and demonstrate that these colonial structures are a part of the heritage of each of the countries they belong to now, and they should be preserved or renovated while maintaining their original design.

Why the name 'Going Colonial'? 

'Going' is a play on words because I'm using it in the sense that you are going or traveling somewhere, but also using it as you would for change in style, as in 'Going Global.' So I want to encourage people to get out there and travel and at the same time have a focus on history and colonial architecture while they're out on the road.

Why colonial architecture? 

As I mentioned, when I traveled to Hong Kong for Christmas in 2015, I discovered colonial architecture. I even went to the library to study more about it while I was there! I think it's the simple, yet complex nature of many of the buildings that I appeal to me, as well as my fascination with exploration and how small countries in Europe could control vast empires on the other side of the world.

What are my goals?

My goals are to provide people with inspiration to get involved in the preservation of colonial buildings and to travel with a historical mindset. I want people to recognize colonial architecture's beauty and understand that we should do our best around the world to preserve our history and heritage.

How can you be a part of it?

You can be a part of 'Going Colonial' by simply reading the content and subscribing to my newsletter. I hope that you get involved in preserving historical buildings in whatever community. Also, follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and use the hashtag #goingcolonial.

I hope you enjoy 'going colonial!' Thank you for all your support and let me know what you think of the site!

On The Road In Myanmar

My obsession with Myanmar began around this time last year, because of its rapid changes technologically, politically, and just in general as well, but yet there's a sense of purity to it. It’s still “untouched,” as people like to say. And also its history, being controlled by the British from the middle 1800s until WW2, under military dictatorship until the early 2000s, and opening its borders to tourists just five years ago. I remember saying to friends last year, "I'd really like to get to Myanmar, it's probably my #1 destination in the world."

I read more Kipling and Orwell, watched movies like Bridge on the River Kwai, and read countless articles. This 11 day trip around Myanmar, which would take me to four of the major destinations with 30 hours worth of bus rides, really was over a year in the making. And so it began on the evening of January 26th, 2017.

First night spotted: Need money? Cross the moat.

Stepping out into the Yangon International Airport from my cramped three hour flight on Cathay Dragon from the stop over in Hong Kong, I thought, ‘well, this is nicer than I expected.’ However, once outside driving in the taxi - what a culture shock. I arrived to Southeast Asia thinking it would be only slightly different than Taiwan, but when I got to my hostel there were gigantic rats and stray dogs running around outside at 1 am. I said to myself, "this is a whole new ball game."

Shwedagon Pagoda 

The following day, I walked around outside trying to wrap my head around everything and didn’t have a real plan, which is always great. I knew I had the whole day to explore Yangon on foot, dodging the traffic, where as a pedestrian anything goes. So I started with breakfast at 999 Noodle Shop near City Hall, and then made the rounds from the riverside Strand Road all the way up to the huge Shweddagon Pagoda. Along the walk, I stopped by the classic Strand Hotel, National Museum ($5 entry), and the Pegu Club, a former British club in Rangoon (Yangon’s British name). The pagoda was a sight to behold. It rises above the city skyline, and the gold plated paya glistens from the sun’s rays reflecting top to bottom. To me, it’s one of the most underrated structures in the world.

Met a new friend at the park on my first day

I had booked a tour the next morning with the Yangon Heritage Trust, an organization that promotes awareness of and guidance in restoring historic, colonial era buildings in the city. Since I visited Hong Kong in 2015 and even before, I’ve had a fascination with British colonialism and its architecture, with the high, open designs being used in so many different places around the world while society was ushered into the modern era. The tour is $30, and quite informative. Most of the profits from the tour are used to assist in their mission, so I was happy to support the organization. A couple of the cool facts I learned were that you cannot kiss in public in Myanmar, so couples will bring umbrellas in public to get their smooching fix in. And after the British renounced Burma as a colony in 1948, the Myanmar people changed the tea break from “2 hours” to “all day.” The guide was only half joking. I really enjoyed their milk tea, but was too busy for the all day break.

Railway station

I wanted to check out the railway station (a combination of British colonial and Myanmar architecture) and the soccer stadium after the tour, and both were within walking distance. After visiting the soccer stadium, I stopped for a quick bite outside from a street vendor. While eating, I wanted some cilantro, so I tried to ask if there were he had any but my guy couldn’t understand. A couple of older gentleman come to the rescue by being able to translate for me. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any. We got into conversation, and it turns out that one of them (Peter) is a former diplomat who lived in the US and Thailand for many years. They both went to high school with Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s current female president, at an English Methodist school in Yangon.

I ended up walking and chatting with these guys, Peter and Thin, for a couple of hours. We covered all kinds of subjects like old actors Errol Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks, but I was especially interested in Myanmar culture. The most important thing about their culture, Peter described, is love. He continued that it might seem simple, but you see people who don’t have a lot, but they have love and that’s what they value most. Love seems to make the Myanmar people so genuinely happy. I enjoyed my chat with Peter and Thin, and learned a ton from them. I forgot I had to check out of my hostel in the midst of hanging out with them, so we took a taxi back to Little Yangon Hostel, and Peter showed me the local group taxi area (just north of Sule Pagoda you’ll see locals waiting) to take me to the bus station over 15 miles away for only 1000 Kyat, less than $1 USD.

Chinlone Action.

After jumping in with some locals to play Myanmar’s national sport, Chinlone, a mix between badminton and soccer, I took the night bus from Yangon to Bagan with JJ Express. This was no Greyhound. They had snacks. They had water bottles and other non alcoholic beverages. They had tv screens and two on board assistants. All for less than $20 USD for the 9 hour trip. The bus did get quite cold, so bring a beanie and light jacket. I popped a Dramamine and soon enough I'm in Bagan at 5:30 am.

As I’m drowsily negotiating with a taxi driver, I realize my bargaining power has dwindled due to everyone else already getting their taxis. But there's one couple left, so I ask if they want to share a taxi, and as we get into conversation, we find out we’re both staying at New Park Hotel. So Markus, Ana, and I hop in a cab to Lawoukashaung, a temple built around 1000 AD, as with most of the temples in Bagan. This one has less tourists than another nearby, and just as good of a view.

We all head up the dark stairs to the temple platform, but after walking around, I noticed that it would be quite easy to climb up to a higher platform. So, fulfilling my inner Indiana Jones, I climb up to the top and look out to a magnificent view as the light starts to penetrate the sky, before remembering I still needed to help Ana and Markus. We waited anxiously for the sun to to come up over the horizon, and when it did, everyone was awestruck. Totally breathless. It was the greatest sunrise I've ever witnessed. Later, an employee told us all (15 people) to come down, but nobody moved or hardly even looked. They were all stunned by the skyline’s beauty. Marco Polo called it one of the finest views in the world in his travelogue, “The Venetian.” It was surreal to be standing in a place where a 13th century explorer stood and tourists now frequent, yet it's been the landscape hasn't been tampered with. It's rare and special.

Best. Sunrise. Ever.

We headed back to the hotel to get some much needed rest, however, I had to wait to check in but Ana and Markus’ room was available. But they deserve it because they didn't sleep as well on the bus. The wifi was good enough to listen to the Gonzaga-Pepperdine game in the lobby and at the hotel’s (free) breakfast. Before the game was over, my room was ready and I went in and took a much needed, hour long nap. I had planned to go golfing so I rented a bicycle from the hotel for less than 2 USD, and rode out to the Amazing Resort. That's actually what it’s called. It's pretty amazing. If you want to, you can hang out by the pool after golfing even if you don't stay there.  

I spy a pagoda

Golfing was an adventure in itself! I paid 40 USD for 9 holes, which was quite steep, but I’ve never played with my own caddy before and temples are scattered throughout the course so “when in Bagan…” On the course, I was playing so poorly I think my lady caddy was laughing at me. She couldn't speak English besides “driver,” “putter,” “sand,” “pitch,” and “bunker” and numbers 2-9, but I know that she was thinking, ‘this guy is a disgrace to the game! *Shooter McGavin voice*

Almost got turned into Spiderman

As I was looking under a tree for one of the two balls I lost, I felt this thing on my neck. I looked, and in my peripheral vision, I see a giant spider. I immediately brushed it off and ran around in a circle making sure I got it off. I hate spiders. My caddy made sure I didn't get bit with some biting expression. I did not, and I’ll probably never find out if it was poisonous or not. Finally, on hole 9 I got Mimi to say, “Go GU!” So happy she could show her support the undefeated, #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs. Can a round of golf really be that bad driving with thousand year old temples around and a kindhearted caddy? It’s close.

My caddie Mimi and I! RF hat on.

That evening, I got a chance to watch the Federer-Nadal match at HTI Bar, which I can highly recommend for their happy hour from 5-7. $1.50 USD buy one get one free Whiskey Sours. Downed a few of those. The match took priority over the Bagan sunset because Federer is my guy, and we haven't seen a Nadal-Federer final in years. I grew up watching him, the greatest tennis player ever - him being a role model for me, as I continued to grow as a tennis player in middle and high school. He staged a huge comeback down 3-1 in the fifth, and finished off Nadal, winning the set 6-4. Probably as incredible as a Bagan sunset - to me at least.

The next day, I had a chance to to explore Bagan on an electric bike ($7 USD) from the hotel. I made a list of all the biggest and best ones to hit, which included the famous Ananda and Dhammayangi pagodas. Out on the road, I met a couple of Stanford grads and a another Dutch girl. We scooted around and explored some temples, because that's basically what Bagan does. I also had my first tea leaf salad! Myanmar is one of the only countries in the world that uses tea leaves in their cuisine, and I think there's a reason for it - it just doesn’t taste that great.

Dhammayangi

I made it back to hotel, where the OK Bus came to pick me up, and we were "On the Road to Mandalay" (famous Kipling poem). During the time on the bus, I thought about Kipling and his quote, “This is Burma. And it will be quite unlike anything you have ever seen.” I was only a few days through my trip, and I already know what he’s saying. That the quote remains true today is remarkable.  

After the OK Bus dropped me off at my hostel, Ostello Bello, around I went upstairs to check out the room. I met a few people from the hostel, including German girl, Theresa, who was interested in visiting the same town I was going to visit the next day. Pyin Oo Lwin is a small town up in the hills outside Mandalay and was a former Shangri-La of British controlled Burma, due to the secludedness and cooler climate.

iPhone cord doing a great job

So we rented motorbikes the next morning from Myanmar Motorbikes ($23 USD for 24 hours), and it was Theresa’s first time riding a scooter, so I was a little worried. But she was doing great until we got to the freeway entrance where she turned around slowly and slipped on the gravel. Everything was okay, except for the kick stand. The spring was broken, so the bike wouldn't continue running because of the falling kick stand. I went full MacGyver, and tied the only rope I had in my bag around the foot rest: an iPhone cord. Best part is that the iPhone cord still works. Thanks Steve. We made it 60 KM up to POL, on the freeway that I speak of which is nothing more than two strips of asphalt, separated by a median with no lines, each wide enough for 1.25 cars.

Cheers. Prost. Same thing.

The colonial architecture in the town is magnificent, as many homes still remain, including the Governor’s Residence. We had lunch at the disappointing “San Francisco.” Of course, I had to choose that one. We checked out the National Gardens and then rode to a serene waterfall that looked straight out of Jungle Book. We lost track of time there, and we realized that we’d have to ride home in the dark, which is far from ideal. We decided to stop and fix Theresa’s headlight and kick stand, and encountered the nicest Burmese family making sure we were well taken care of. We were off again, in the dark, in essentially a sand storm from the trucks zooming by and kicking everything up. We were heading down a hill, and I was going slowly, but hit a patch of dirt and ate it. The truck driver asked if I was okay, and I gave him a thumbs up. I came away with only scratches, but it could’ve been much worse. Here I was worried about Theresa and I’m the one who gets hurt...We made it back to Mandalay in two pieces, and I hurried to catch the bus to my next stop in Myanmar: Kalaw. If you’re looking for an adventure, look no further than motorbiking in Myanmar.

Theresa and I biking! Before my fall.

I arrived to Kalaw, again on JJ Express, ($12 USD) at 3:30 am. I didn’t book a hostel thinking I’d be able to find a coffee shop to hang out in. That was unrealistic, so I picked up a room at Golden Kalaw Hotel for a crisp Hamilton. Well worth it for the few hours of sleep and a shower, before I departed on the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek. I chose Ever Smile trekking because they were recommended on a few other blogs.

I got to the Ever Smile office around 8 am, and we made a group huddle outside for the different trekking options. None other than Markus and Ana tap me on my shoulder, and say “You look familiar.” I recall them saying they were going to do the trek, but didn’t ask any other questions about it. Of course, we were on the exact same 2 day, 1 night trek to Kalaw. The hike was 36 KM over two days with one night’s stay in a Myanmar village, complete with food, baggage transport, and our expert guide, Chel-sue, for $24. Unreal.

Stunning Eastern Myanmar landscape

The Village

This trek experience is totally life changing. There were 11 of us in total, and each person/group brought their own flavor to the trek. Each person had a special uniqueness about them. You might say ‘yeah, cause everyone is unique.’ This one was different. We all had important things we cared about and a different flavor each of us brought to the group. I think a main difference is we were all passionate and had strong zeal for life. And what we experienced together, as a unit, the way the people in these villages live for example is truly unbelievable. You become so much more appreciative of what you have in your life, and admire their lifestyle for how hard working they are and how much their families and neighbors mean to them. I saw what Peter had meant now, up close and personal.

Two in our group, Kenny and Andrew, students at Princeton, brought soccer balls to give to the locals. These locals were already so happy and full of life, with just a ball with a few strips of bamboo to play some Chinlone. To see them even happier with a real soccer ball was incredible. I miss waving to them, saying “Mingalabar (Hello!),” and them responding with the same cheerfulness.

Inle Lake Fishin'

We made it to Inle Lake, and stopped for lunch at a house near a lake jetty, where we would eventually catch our long boat for the ride to Nyaung Shwe. We cheersed to making it to Inle Lake, and then discussed cheers traditions in each country. A Singaporean/French girl, Isabelle, asked if we do something like...and then did the marriage-link-arms-thing. I responded, “only when you get married.” And from then on, we were husband and wife. I loved it. Isabelle, maybe not as much.

On the lake, the beauty astounded me, with the surrounding mountains, the stilted villages, and the fishermen who row their boat with a paddle attached to one leg while they’re busy fishing with both hands. Time stood still for a moment as we took it all in. That happens often in Myanmar.

Song of Travel. Boom.

Half of the group booked at Song of Travel hostel, my favorite on the trip, and not just because it’s shaped like a boom box. They’ve got great amenities too, like free bikes and a rooftop bar. We arrived at around 3 pm, took showers (didn’t take one in the village), and then met up on the roof to say goodbye to Kenny and Andrew. We witnessed another gorgeous Myanmar sunset as we sipped on Lychee Mojitos and Myanmar Beer. We continued through the night, and played my favorite game, called “21” or “Cheers to the Governor.” We played for more or less 5 hours until we were told we were too loud. Some of my favorites were “Fake Donald Trump quotes” on number 6 and “Wrestling matches you’d like to see” on number 9. Just some ideas for your next game.

Iron Chef Myanmar 2017

"Doug" in Burmese

It was good the game was called around 1 because I had to wake up the next morning at 8 am for a cooking class at Bamboo Delight, one of the highlights of the trip. Especially since I’m not that great of a cook. A fellow “tennis guy” from the trek/the Netherlands, Frank, and I went to the super crowded Friday market in downtown Nyaung Shwe, and picked out our ingredients with Lesley. We went back to their house to get ready for Iron Chef Myanmar. I felt so accomplished after concocting this magnificent coconut cream chicken with avocado salad. Can’t wait to try to make it again, and hopefully not fail too badly.

I went on a bike tour around Nyuang Shwe with all the others who stayed at Song of Travel. We had a great time exploring temples and some other ruins. Shockingly, I even ran into the two English people I had met in Mandalay and got complimented on my memory. Sometimes it can work well! My group ended at the Inle Lake winery, but I had to head back to the hostel early to catch the night bus back to Yangon (JJ again, of course, $20). I hugged everyone in our group and was off on my own back to the hostel. My trip was sadly in the final stages.

Go Zags. #1.

I caught the bus to Yangon, of course with Markus and Ana again, although this time we knew we had the same bus, then shared a taxi to Yangon city. My hostel room wasn’t ready at 7 am, but I had a big day ahead, as I planned to meet my friend and fellow Zag, Alli Slamkowski, for a afternoon on the town with her travel partner, Elizabeth! I watched a little bit of Harry Potter, took a nap, and then went out on the walk to Sule Pagoda to meet them. Alli and I had a great reunion, and I was happy to meet Elizabeth! We headed to the train station to hop on the “Circular Train,” which takes you around the city. We were captivated by the three hour ride, in which we tried some new food which was available for purchase from a random guy walking around on the train, chatted with a guy who began yelling “I love Donald Trump,” and gained an insight into the hectic lifestyle of Yangon residents.

We exited the train, because I wanted to visit the “Drug Elimination Museum.” Alli and Elizabeth hesitantly agreed. We arrived to a desolate wasteland, and I commented that it looked like we were the last survivors of a zombie attack. We paid the museum dues ($3), and I noticed that only two people checked in that day. I had never seen such a museum. Such a strange experience because of the propaganda and coldness of the building. All South East Asian countries have some sort of capital punishment for drug users/dealing, but one exhibit showed people singing and dancing at a party, saying this is what drugs will make you do and it’s bad for society. Insane. However, I highly recommend it as the end of the Circular Train ride and then taking a taxi to Aung San Bogyoke Market. We said our goodbyes at the market as they were off to Bagan that evening! Wish I could’ve joined them for another trip around the country!

On the way into Nirvana aka Governor's Residence

I got some extra sleep the next morning, cause I was exhausted. My plan for the last day in Myanmar was to head to the Governor’s Residence Hotel in Yangon and have a fancy lunch, and then use the pool all day to unwind from this wild, 11 day adventure. I grabbed a taxi to the hotel, and was blown away by its serenity and beauty. It’s basically like a possible magazine cover everywhere you look at this $400/night sanctuary. My waitress said, “How may I address you?” “Oh, well, you can call me Douglas…” I felt like a British officer back in the colonial days. However, I was disappointed to hear that they don’t allow non-guests in the pool area, as of only a month ago. So even though the $60 USD lunch (soft shell crab, roast beef sandwich, lemon pie, a Myanmar beer, and a pina colada) was worth it, it’d be even better with access to their beautiful pool. If you have the cash, stay at this place.

Big British Day, out on the trishaw

Isabelle, “my wife,” surprisingly texted me after I had gotten to the hotel saying she was in Yangon, and I said she should come join! Easily convinced with one picture, she joined in on the fun. I ordered for her starting with, “My wife will have…” The embarrassed look and the “I can’t believe you just did that” line was classic. We indulged in some dessert, and then she dropped me off at the British Commissioner’s Residence for the “Big British Day Out” with some people from the hostel, and she went on her way to the airport to head back to Singapore.

I had a great time out there, and went back to the hostel with the Burmese staff, where we left for a bite to eat before I departed for the airport. The first thing I ate was a fried caterpillar! The outside tasted like the soft shell crab earlier, but internally resembled something like rotten hummus. Not appetizing. I washed it down with some fresh avocado juice though! We had some funny conversation about the Burmese language and customs, and it ended up being a very, um, cultural last night in Myanmar. Wouldn’t have it any other way!

Kipling was right. Myanmar is a place unlike anything I’ve ever known. I gained new perspectives and friendships, witnessed some of the greatest landscapes I’ve ever seen, and discovered not only a wondrous place on Earth, but a lot about myself as well. I encourage everyone to go and explore Myanmar, and make your own discoveries in this majestic country.

Living Abroad Q & A

Recently, I was interviewed by a group of Taiwanese high school students for their English class project about my experience living in Taiwan. I enjoyed it so much that I thought it'd be great to put it on the blog.

Here it is:

Q: What are some differences between Taiwan and your home country?

A: There are quite a few differences between Taiwan and the USA, besides the fact that Taiwan is an island off the coast of China and roughly the size of the state of Georgia. Taiwan has much more efficient public transportation, with one of the highest rated metro systems, a high speed rail connecting the north and south, and the expansive, affordable buses. Taiwan also has a better health care system, being much more affordable and efficient. Taiwan is a safer country and one of the safest countries in the world. The USA is simply not as safe. USA is a lot more diverse than Taiwan, with citizens from all over the world. We have some of the best ideas and technological advancements in the world because of our eclectic population. The communication style is different as well, the US being more direct and the Taiwanese being ambiguous. When you're speaking with Taiwanese, there could be underlying meanings, which, at times, can be frustrating if you want to talk more directly.


Q: Are there any different impressions of Taiwan you have after arriving?

A: I didn't realize how green it was going to be. I knew there many hiking areas in the mountains, and there would be green there. But the streets are lined with trees and you can clearly see the green mountains from almost every part of the city. Also, Taiwan is even more convenient than I thought it was going to be. From the public transportation to the 7-11s and Family Marts, everything runs super efficiently. Lastly, I did not realize that Taipei has almost everything you need. I expected it would be hard to find many things that I'm used to in my home country, but that's not the case.

Q: Have you encountered any problems in Taiwan? What did you do to solve them?

A: Yes, I've encountered many problems here. I will tell you the two biggest problems and how I've solved them, and then I will quickly mention some others. The first problem is adjusting to a totally new environment, both culturally and geographically. I solved this problem by being open with others and learning as much as I could. I was lucky to have stayed in a hostel where the people were so friendly, and relationships began blossoming from the people I had met there. Be empathetic, understanding, curious, and willing to have some fun, and things will work out for you. The second problem is communication. Communication in Taiwan is much different than in the USA as I have mentioned. When you have a language barrier, you can't get frustrated, you kind of just have to smile, and use your phone dictionary, hand movements, simple English, ask someone else, just be as creative as possible to figure something out. I've had to do many times. Now, I've lost a debit card and cell phone, missed my flight to Taipei from Okinawa, stuck on the railroad tracks in a typhoon for 5 hours from Taichung standing room only, ran low on cash, hitchhiked in the middle of nowhere Taiwan, and was lost countless times including the first day I got to Taipei. In these situations, you just have to try to maintain a positive attitude and figure out the quickest and most cost effective solution.



Q: What is your plan for the future?

A: I don't think I have a set five year or ten year plan. I still have plenty of time to explore, and plan on taking full advantage of that. My outline of a plan would be to find a career that I enjoy immensely and am passionate about, and to raise a great family. Being in Asia, there are many more doors to be opened. But I'm just going through life right now learning as much as I can, finding challenges, questioning different aspects of life, and gaining new perspectives.


Q: Can you introduce the culture and characteristics of your country?

A: Culture in America is hard to describe because there is a lot of diversity, so there are many different pieces from people all around the world. We call it a "melting pot." Generally, we are very into sports: American football, basketball, baseball, and ice hockey are the biggest with soccer growing rapidly. We love going out to eat, and there are a lot of options for us thanks to the various cultures. Fast food still plays a major role in our society, and it's unhealthy, but many Americans eat it because it's convenient for them. We are also obsessed with our cars, and love to drive everywhere. Basically, our whole city planning is designed around people having cars. And finally, we love our independence and focus on individuality. People enjoy standing out and being different from others, and take pride in that.

Q: How will you introduce Taiwan to your friends and family?

A: I will introduce Taiwan as a beautiful country with kind people. It provides a comfortable lifestyle and is a great access point to visit other places in Asia. Taipei was recently voted as the #1 place for expats to live by InterNations.com. There are a lot of interesting foods, and plenty of things to do around the island. If you want to go to the beach or climb a mountain, it's just one hour away.

Q: Please tell us what one has learned from the experiences in Taiwan?

I've learned a lot, but acceptance, thankfulness, patience, empathy, and living in the present stand out.

Election Day Classroom Fun

Throughout my time in Taiwan, you've seen what happens outside the classroom. But now you'll get a little glimpse of what life is like inside. I had one of the most fun lessons thus far teaching my fifth graders about the American elections. I can't go into too much depth with them because much of it's obviously really complex, but it doesn't matter because we had some great fun together.

The vocabulary list I focused on included: vote, debate, promises, president, advertisement (to combine with the "Advertising" unit), and of course, Election Day. I started by introducing the class to the election of the president, where all the people in the country "vote" to see who will be "elected" as "president." We held a quick vote to see who would be president of the class. The students decided, and the nearly unanimous vote went to Regina, one of my favorite students. What the kids didn't know is that Regina would later be running against "Teacher Douglas" for the Taiwanese presidency.

I wanted the students to create their own political advertisement for Regina, so after quickly explaining advertising and advertisements, I had each of the students come up to add their ideas to Regina's campaign poster. The final product wasn't bad! Regina 2016! :)

I finally told them that I would be competing against Regina for the Taiwanese presidency, and they were shocked. It drew some questions like, "But you were not born in Taiwan!" I responded, "They said it was okay this time!" So Regina and I conducted a debate, and the rest of the students could ask us questions. The most important question in the students' minds, which I was impressed with, was "Will you help poor people?" I said, "Of course I will, I will give them what they need." "What will you do if you are President?" asked another student. I responded to great applause, "I will send everyone to Tokyo Disneyland!!" However, Regina countered with, "No school for everyone!!!" Regina wins. We voted on who would be elected Taiwan's president, and Regina won in a landslide. I garnered a total of 1 vote.

Next, I introduced them to the American candidates, through pictures of Donald J. Trump and Hillary R. Clinton. Comments rang out from the students, "He's fat..." "He's ugly..." "They're so old..." I couldn't stop laughing. "I don't like them," said one of the students. Fair play. We discussed what a president does, and I explained that the president is the leader of their country, and they try to help the people in their country and work with other world leaders to improve important things. I asked them a question from the book, "What is the most important trait in a president?" They decided on honesty, because you need to be able to trust the person who is leading. Something that is lacking in a big way in Washington.

Now, it was time for grand finale. The USA election. The students were ready to cast their small ballots I cut out for them which said "Trump" and "Clinton," and checkboxes for each. Before we started, Jenny asked, "Will they help poor people?" Of course I had to have some more fun, and said "No they won't, they will only help rich people." Funnily enough, most of the evidence we've seen supports my claim. Might be oversimplified, but I don't think it's too far off. Another intelligent question was asked: "Can we write another person's name on the paper?" I grinned and said "Yes, you can." The students voted, and I collected them and read them out loud. The students thought one person would be better than voting for Trump or Clinton - and that person was me. I won the presidency of the United States. The students went wild, and proceeded to draw some funny faces on the other unfit candidates. And thus, the Election Day classroom fun had concluded.

       

Wedding Crashing in Kyushu

I traveled to Japan and attended our friend Yuki's wedding in Kumamoto, Japan with some soccer teammates last week. We made it through a bachelor party and a wedding, and overall it was one of the best weekends I've had living abroad.

Yuki being Yuki

I first met Yuki when I signed up to play for our team, Carnegies B53. Yuki was one of the funniest guys on the team, with an infectious personality and a smile on his face, always. We had fun together playing soccer and hanging out. I remember Thanksgiving dinner at our sponsor bar, Carnegies, because it was one first big moments for me to bond with the team and Yuki introduced us to his fiance, Matsumi. I never imagined I would attend his wedding almost a year later.

When we got the invitation to the wedding, I had already committed to play in a soccer tournament in Manila, and I couldn't go to both. But when the Philippines tournament was cancelled, I jumped at the chance to travel to Kyushu for the celebration. I wanted to see an awesome Japanese guy marry the love of his life, spend time with friends, and visit for the big historical significance. Yuki inviting the whole team to his wedding was incredibly kind, and really shows his generosity and how open he is.

The Wedding Crew

We had four guys living in Taipei attend Yuki's wedding: My Portuguese soccer manager Nuno and teammates Hirosan, Ali, Tim, a German-English teammate. So we started planning out exactly what we wanted to do. Turns out Tim and I are similar in that we love to plan, and enjoy putting nice itineraries together. We booked our flights, acquired accommodations, and started figuring out exactly what we wanted to do. Before we knew it, we were headed to Fukuoka. 

On Thursday evening, Hiro, Tim, and I arrived at Fukuoka and surprisingly got to the hostel with relative ease. Tim and I arranged for a Japanese style room, however, I found the support of the Japanese mattress not to be the most comfortable. Still a cool experience being in a traditional style room in hostel. We went up to the roof top, and met a Korean girl who we nicknamed Kim, because we joked about how "everyone in Korea is named Kim." She countered to Tim, "I heard Germans aren't funny, but you are very funny." Excellent banter. We went out for the evening, but even though Japan had just gotten rid of their 67 year ban on dancing after midnight last year, most places still closed around 1 AM. So while Tim and I practiced our Japanese on random residents and sipped sake, Hiro just laughed at us "gai jins."

Loitering in Fukuoka

Tim with the nap

Train view

Hiro had a work commitment and Ali and Nuno didn't get in until Friday evening, so Tim and I had all day Friday on our own. In the morning, we left our hostel without our passports after the receptionist told us we didn't need them for the train to Nagasaki. But when we arrived at Hakata Station of course the ticket lady says, "Passports, please." At first we were upset, but then you just have to get over it quickly, go to pick up the passport, and get back to the train station. If things don't go your way, you just have to move on quickly. We ended up catching a train only an hour later, and were able to have some delicious Udon noodles with a "cold-as-Mt. Fuji" Asahi. Even though we were behind schedule, everything worked out just fine, and we were on our way.

                                                          

Dejima props

Dejima main street

After the scenic two hour ride to Nagasaki, we first visited Dejima. This 3 acre plot of land at the port is the only place where foreigners could live in Japan for over 200 years, from the early 17th to mid 19th centuries. There were plenty of interesting historical artifacts and info about life during that time, and even had actors dressed in the traditional outfits of the time. I think it's so interesting that no one made an effort to discuss trading elsewhere like Kyoto or Tokyo during those 200 years. After Dejima, we walked further south to check out the Glover House and Chapel, built in the late 1800s by a British trader. 

Peace Memorial Statue

Our final stop was Peace Memorial Park, honoring those who perished with atomic bomb dropping on August 9, 1945. The first thing you see as you get to the top of the hill is a memorial fountain showing the epicenter of the bomb. It's tough to imagine and accept when you're there: the explosion, its devastation, and its lasting impact on our world. It's powerful. But the hope of the people in creating these monuments so we can see that this should never happen again is inspiring. I cannot recommend Nagasaki highly enough, especially if you love history. It's a beautiful city with a nice combination of modernity and charm. 

We ended the day trip to Nagasaki at an izakaya, where I indulged in one of my favorite foods in the world, karaage. Nobody does fried chicken better than the Japanese. 

That night, we had a small bachelor party for Yuki, who was in Fukuoka the night before his wedding.....so the next morning...we luckily did not find Yuki sleeping on the roof a hotel, but sound asleep in the bed with all his clothes, even the sport jacket. That's all you can ask for. He left to go get ready for his wedding while we got a couple extra hours of sleep. I woke up in our illegal-in-Japan-but-still-operates Airbnb, and hung out on our balcony with spectacular view of downtown. Tim and I then made our way to a restaurant before our Shinkansen ride to Kumamoto. The sushi for breakfast was the best I've had in my life. Great start to what we knew would be an amazing day.

Bachelors...kind of

Wedding time!

Tim and I had to ask which tram stop the wedding was at after getting off at Kumamoto, but we eventually got on the right one and were off to see our boy Yuki tie the knot. On the tram, we see a lot of people who are dressed up, and by the way, Japanese love to dress well and I absolutely love it, but we then joked that half of Kumamoto was going to be there, especially this one good looking Japanese girl. But as we're going along, we're going pretty slow, and 1. I thought the actual wedding ceremony was at 3 PM and 2. The venue was further from the tram stop. So I suggested we get off and take a taxi, which in hindsight was dumb. A crisp 1000 Yen bill later and slightly longer than the tram would've taken staying on it, we were walking into the gorgeous venue straight across from the tram stop. Of course, the girl on the tram was inside. We'll call it close to half the town. 

The Chapel

The wedding ceremony was mostly Western with the entrances of the bride and groom, proceedings of Christian verses and prayers (done by a white guy who spoke in Japanese 80% of the time), and exchanging of the vows and rings. Yuki had on an all white suit, looking like a true boss as he strutted up to the alter.

Stylish

I must admit, the drinking culture in Japan is so much fun. Yuki's father walked around to each table, and thanked everyone for coming and then we all said "kannpai!" or "Cheers!" You can start to get to know each other with just a simple "kannpai!" We had some delicious food at the reception as well including sashimi, Japanese beef, and even duck liver. Actually so good! Speeches are a big deal in Japanese weddings, just as in western ones, and even though I couldn't understand any of them, I could just feel the passion. I loved the last part of Yuki's father's speech where he talked about embracing foreigners in the wedding and said, "Danke schoen, xie xie, and thank you." You won't hear that at many weddings, and we were appreciative of the inclusiveness. 

I came up with a Japanese name, because I thought I needed one in addition to the nickname that I was given on my last visit to Japan, "Dagusan." I wanted something more complex. So I went all out and chose Kawasaki as my last name because 1. The company is awesome 2. It kinda sorta sounds similar enough to Chesney, and unlike Chinese, there are not too many good last names starting with "Ch." I chose Daisuke as my first name because it's another famous boy's first name starting with a D and for Matsuzaka Daisuke, a former pitcher for the Red Sox. So my Japanese name is Kawasaki Daisuke (last name first, same as Chinese). This was such a good decision because it's the best conversation starter ever. The shocked reactions when I said, "Watashi wa Kawasaki Daisuke!" were priceless. 

The Japanese people at the wedding were so friendly, and many people came to introduce themselves to us even though their English was limited. I think I held the wedding record for most selfies with Japanese girls, so you know, kind of a big deal. We had a ton of fun with everyone at the wedding, trying to come up with things that we could relate to and trying to communicate with each other. On our way to the after party, the best things I came up with were Ichiro, skiing in Niigata, and Kaarage being one of my favorite foods. 

Sorry Yuki

The after party was so great, trying to communicate with new friends and drunkenly giving out English names. I named a guy Jack, because he said he liked "24." We wanted a funny picture with the bride, so Tim and I pretended to kiss Matsumi, only to have a line up of Japanese guys trying to do the same. Had to break that up because I didn't really think of the consequences. We did quite a few more "kannpai's," but we felt like the party was getting going just as people started leaving before midnight. But no matter, because I had experienced one of the most incredible days in my time in Asia. 

Hiro, Tim, and I went to the convenience store to collect some more Asahi's, but we had an early flight and our train from Kumamoto left at 6:30 AM. We went into the train station, and took a nice four hour nap in our wedding attire. Things got a little crazy in Kyushu, but we had an unbelievable time.

Yuki's wedding was so well done and wonderful, and I am honored to have been a part of it. I've been so fortunate to attend three weddings this year, two as the Best Man, and on two different continents. Being in the presence of true love is special and moving, and I enjoyed every moment of each of them. Hell of a season. Japan is an extraordinary place, as fascinating as it is beautiful. From the city to the countryside, it's stunning. I'm already looking forward to my next visit.