Chinese New Year In Nippon

Four months ago, I started the process of deciding where I would go for my week long Chinese New Year break in early February. I had been told multiple times by friends that the break needs to be seen as a big opportunity because you won't have this long of a period off for the rest of the year and Taipei turns into a ghost town with people leaving to visit their families or go on a vacation. The top two choices were located in Southeast Asia: Cambodia and Myanmar. I wanted to visit either of these countries because it would be an adventure unlike anything I had ever experienced. A completely different culture. Both countries have had multiple military coups in the past 20 years, and Myanmar opened up its borders only five years ago, just for perspective.

Shinjuku Streets

The third option was less intense, but would be just as fascinating: Japan. My good friend Dave is teaching English there, and I had been enamored with the country ever since visiting its southern most prefecture, Okinawa, in November. As (the regular) new year approached, I had to make my decision. I thought in depth about the pros and cons, logistics, and goals. I chose Japan. I would have the opportunity to explore both Tokyo and the countryside, visiting a great friend in the process.

Shortly after I booked my trip to Tokyo, Dave texted me and said "I've got some good news for you." I texted him right back and asked what it was. He explained that one of the teachers at his high school would be interested in having me give a talk on my experiences in college and Taiwan. Best of all, I'd be paid to do it. I would have presented for free (shhh!) because I knew it would be so interesting to have a conversation with bright Japanese high school students, but getting paid was a cool bonus.

Shibuya Scramble

I remember so clearly stepping off the plane, and feeling that cool, fresh air. Invigorating. I was so ready for this trip. Narita Airport is massive, but I asked a couple information desks how to get to the city and they directed me to the correct train, which took well over one hour to get to central Tokyo.

My Airbnb (technically illegal in Japan but somehow still operates) was in Shibuya, one of the most popular districts in Tokyo. My first couple days in Tokyo consisted of me exploring Shibuya and a surrounding district, Shinjuku. That night I met up with a friend from Taipei, Jesus, and we decided on an Sumire Izakaya, classic Japanese establishments with small dishes and brews, from a blog post I had read about from 2012. I left out that last piece of info for Jesus, hoping that it would still be there as we were on our way. We arrived, were seated, and see a small plastic device on the table that says "Push Button For Service." We press it, and within about 5 seconds, a waiter appears. We ask for "ni birru, kudasai," which is improper Japanese for two beers. If only we had this kind of service everywhere else. After we finished, we get the bill and the beers are 280 yen a piece, about 3 USD, which is super cheap for Shibuya. I later found out that we were charged from the "foreigner menu." The beers for Japanese are 120 yen...

The Tower of Tokyo

I went out for a run the next day around Shibuya and Roppongi in chilly weather, with the goal of seeing and hanging out at Tokyo Tower. I made some wrong turns along the way, but I felt like I had all the time in the world. Getting lost with no set itinerary is fantastic. Do it whenever you have the chance.

I met up with Dave and his old college roommate, Hirofumi, later that evening to walk around Hirofumi's suburb. Coincidentally, he lives in Tokyo's Okinawa district, the prefecture Dave and I visited 4 months earlier. Hirofumi graciously supplied us with shelter for two nights, along with great information on Japanese culture. Among the most interesting is his kotatsu, a traditional Japanese desk/heating blanket that almost every household owns, where they curl up during the winter months to relax after a long day's work. The work culture in Japan is insane, by the way. It's hard to explain in short, but the high stress work environments cause many problems.

Imperial Palace Main Gate

We had to get a couple Okinawan donuts for breakfast the next morning to remind us of the good times on that beautiful island. I had a brand new experience as we boarded a train for Central Tokyo to explore the magnificent and beautiful Imperial Palace. Dave and Hirofumi take the only two available seats on one side of the car, and I settle for a seat on the side opposite them. I sit down right next to a lady who's with her son, and after about three seconds, she quickly gets up and moves to the other side of her son. It was so strange. She was not comfortable being that close to a foreigner. Sure, there could have been a bad experience she had with a 'gai jin', but I think it's probably the Japanese ideology of that stretches back centuries to the foundations of the country of not accepting outsiders. I believe this is quite rare nowadays, but it's still a little shocking to have this happen with how 'global' we are.

We went for dinner at a restaurant in a posh district of Tokyo called Ginza. We ordered all kinds of plates, including karaage, chicken heart with Teriyaki sauce, and tempura avacado with fish egg/mayonnaise dip. Karaage is my newly crowned all-time favorite chicken dish. Oiishi-desu...delicious. 

Cultured gentleman

After about an hour, we hear a girl at the table next to us yell out to the waiter in Japanese. Hirofumi translated as "she's dead." But it wasn't the girl who yelled out that was 'dead', it was her friend across the table she was talking about. The friend had gotten wasted, and crashed onto the table. It's now only 7 pm, and her night is already over. Meanwhile, her boss, was smirking and enjoying the scene.

It took a turn for the worst when the girl shouts (Hirofumi translating), "get us a bag, quickly!" It was too late. Her food quietly dribbled out onto her arm and the rest of the table. It was fascinating to hear Hirofumi explain the situation as well. He said, "Since you are foreigners, it's okay if you look, but if we look, it's seen as highly disrespectful." The main thing is, you have to be alert in Ginza. You never know what's going to happen.

Dave and I hopped on the Shinkansen the next afternoon, and were in Dave's quaint town in central Japan, Urasa, in an hour and a half. This was my first time on a bullet train, even though Taiwan has one of its own, ironically built by the Japanese. Cruising along at 160 mph, I thought during our short journey how outrageous it is that the US doesn't have a full scale high speed rail system. Should have been built decades ago. It's about a 15 minute walk from the train station to Dave's apartment. I knew it was going to be a great trip as we exited the station to the fresh, mountain air and some light snowfall.

The first full day in Urasa was a great one. We headed to one of Dave's high schools he teaches at, Kokusai Joho International High School. I presented first to the seniors and then to the juniors. These students are so impressive. One student's research project was based on Paul Graham's Y Combinator, the highly successful Silicon Valley incubator, and the students even knew about Coursera.org. It's rare that students in the US would be discussing these types of subjects, so obviously being in rural Japan it was even more stunning. We learned so much from each other, and the experience with them was among the most valuable I've had in Asia.

The Lodge and Niigata Mountains

Dave dropped me off the next morning at the mountain to ski for the first time since Crystal Mountain last winter. So jealous he lives only 10 minutes from a FEW ski resorts! I picked it back up quickly, and got some good runs in before an afternoon snow storm crushed my dreams of being able to competently ski backwards.

The next day, Dave and I decided we could sleep because he was taking the day off from school, and the biggest thing we had on our itinerary was visiting one of the best sake distilleries in the world, Hakkaisan Brewery. We made our way to the modern looking building and were soon taking in an all Japanese tour. We nodded our heads like we knew what our tour guide was saying, when we had absolutely zero clue. Dave astutely pointed out later our tour guide could have been 13 years old or 30. The most interesting thing about the brewery, that we could see from a picture diagram, is how they've used natural refrigeration for hundreds of years, packing a mound of snow 70 feet long and 25 feet high, keeping the building cool year round even in the sticky summer months. After a small tasting, which included tasting nearly every available sake, we went to the gift shop to buy a few bottles of our own.

My gloves and skis from the 80s #Single

Thursday was the best day yet. Dave described it as the "best day in months," both because of the weather and what we did. We got up fairly early to hit the slopes together, so we drive down there to get a 1000 yen ($10 USD) half day ticket, and pick up some rental gear. I walked into the shop and discover their gear is actually from the 80s. The skis, gloves, poles...everything. I thought I had jumped in a hot tub time machine, or maybe more like an onsen time machine. It was radical.

Winter Wonderland

We left the slopes ready to start the most important matter of business while I was in Urasa: filming a video for the Second Annual Denise M. Chesney Memorial Bike Ride. Last summer, Dave and I rode 300 miles from Seattle to Spokane to honor my mom, who passed away from breast cancer in 2007. This year, we are returning to the Pacific Northwest to ride from Seattle to Leavenworth in August. Our goal was to create a video promoting the ride and sharing our story. We collected some great footage, and our friend from Gonzaga, Yalda Rafie, pieced it together for a beautiful video. That evening, we celebrated a successful week in Urasa with some of Dave's friends from International University of Japan at the best Italian restaurant, out of two, in town. We headed out to IUJ to continue the festivities, finishing off one of those bottles of sake in the process.

The start of the second weekend in Japan began on Friday with us planning to take the Shinkansen to Tokyo at 12:45 pm. But before we knew it, the clock struck noon, and the Zags were playing in 30 minutes. We thought 'is there any reason we need to get to Tokyo before 3?' The Zags are obviously more important than getting to Tokyo two hours earlier. So a 12:45 pm departure turned into a 3:45. We arrived in Tokyo to meet a mutual friend from Australia, who stayed with us in our beautiful, albeit sketchy, Airbnb (we retrieved the key from a box attached to back fence of the apartment complex). We caught a glimpse of the Tokyo sunrise on our way back from a club in Shibuya, T2, which hosted some of the most fascinating social dynamics I'd ever seen.  

Glorious burger

We woke up a little late, but to a gorgeous Tokyo Spring-like day nonetheless, and headed out to get burgers at Blacows in Shibuya. This place is listed among the best burger joints in the world, and it actually ended up being the best burger I'd ever had. I went with the bacon-avacado (you can never wrong with California style), and it's just a big party in your mouth with the Wagyu beef and fluffy, buttery bun.

The last day in Tokyo was a special one because Dave organized a Gonzaga Day celebration at a basketball specific bar in Harajuku called Coast 2 Coast. At the event, we met a fellow Desmetonian who graduated in '58, and a few other graduates from the 80s. We took one last stroll around Tokyo before heading to the pub to watch the Arsenal-Leicester game, in which Arsenal had a 90th minute winner from my guy "WELBECKKKK!!!" Being in the ever odd ecstatic/tipsy state allowed me to miss my connecting train to Haneda Airport. Awesome. At least I made it to about 3 miles away from the airport. It could have been much worse. I made my 5 am flight back to Taipei in time for a nap before work at 2 pm that day!

Go Zags!

This trip exceeded all of my expectations, and I accomplished so much in just 12 days. From exploring the jungle that is Tokyo to skiing and sake tasting to the conversations with Japanese high school students, this was truly the trip of a lifetime. Spending time with a great friend, meeting new ones, and having all kinds of new experiences on this adventure in Japan are things I'll remember for the rest of my life. I'm thankful for how much I've been able to experience since moving to Asia, it's been an incredible journey.

5 Things I Wish I Had Done In College and 5 Things I'm Proud Of

5 Things I Wish I Had Done in College:

1. Not Sold My Books

This is easily the number one thing I wish I had done while I was in college. I sold some books I had bought for $100 for $10! Ten dollars! Absolutely absurd. Some deals were better than others, but I thought $10 was more important than information. There have been numerous occasions where I wish I could pull out an old college book, and not even a situationally relevant topic, just for the sake of curiousity. When my kids are in college, and they say at the end of the semester, "I need to sell my books to get some extra cash," my response will be, "Here's a $200 check. I'm buying your books from you and you can thank me later." Do not sell your books. Find a way to keep them. 

2. Learned How To Learn

When in college, I thought that I had kept decent notes and learned efficiently, but after reflecting on it, there was so much more that could have been done. One way to improve memorization skills and efficiently study is to implement techniques like Pomodoro and Renaissance Learning, which I found after college with Coursera's 'Learning How to Learn' class. To find other techniques, use the almighty Alphabet or ask your peers what they do to stay focused. Prepare yourself mentally for this challenge and put effort into finding resources to help improve your time mangaement and organization. Learning how to learn properly will set you up for success throughout your life, you'll be able to better adapt and learn new skills faster.

3. Studied Abroad

I believe studying abroad is an invaluable college experience. You can grow immensely from studying in a foreign country with your peers, learning and having fun together. I didn't believe I had the extra money to study abroad in the summer. I was also a sophomore transfer student, so I thought it would be difficult to take a semester off from campus life. I looked for excuses not to go. Instead, you should look for ways and reasons to go. If you don't feel like you have the money to go, ask your financial aid office how you can study abroad affordably. Sure, you might come home without much money that summer or winter, but you will look back on your time abroad in the future, and never regret it.

4.  Read More and Listened Better

This can be interpreted in many ways, and I intended it that way. I wish I had read more course material. I found myself often skimming books instead of reading closely and thinking deeply about the consumed information. I also wished I read more for fun. I felt like I didn't have the time because of the actual coursework, but that isn't the case. You are the source of time. If you truly want to read something you're interested in, you will make the time. Not only will reading material outside your coursework broaden your knowledge, it will also increase your overall wellbeing, enjoying what you're reading and a sense of accomplishment when you're finished.

Listening, like reading, should be interpreted in a couple of different ways. For one, I wish I had listened to more podcasts in college. I have listened to more podcasts in the last six months than I have in the past six years, by far. You can find incredible information on nearly any topic, my current favorites being The Tim Ferriss Show and Men In Blazers. More importantly though, I wish I had listened better to people around me. I think I did a decent job of listening during my time in school, but I didn't put enough thought into truly understanding what I had heard. Ask many questions, listen intently, and understand what people are saying.

5. Exercised More Often

It wasn't until almost two years after graduation that I realized I had put on too much weight throughout my time in college. I wish I had my made exercise a priority, running and lifting for just 30 minutes each day. The carbs at the dining hall got to me, and I didn't lose the weight I gained in college until moving abroad last year. I thought that playing intramurals, a club sport, and climbing my dorm's intense stairs would be enough to keep me in decent shape, but it wasn't. The gym is a "free" resource at most colleges, so take advantage of it and create a schedule that works for you.

The 5 Things I'm Proud Of:

1. Living Life to the Fullest

There's an easy number one to the things I'm most proud of: living life to the fullest. I think anyone who knew me can attest to that, and I really believe I had as much fun as any college student. We did things we probably shouldn't have, but we always had a great time together. Running out of gas in the middle-of-nowhere Montana on an 11 hour roadtrip to Salt Lake City for the NCAA Tournament, epic intramural championship victories, and making the cover of Sports Illustrated are just a few of the big memories. If you get asked to go anywhere or do something with friends and are not sure what to do, just say yes. These experiences will change your life. 

2. Involvement

I listed a few main goals for what I wanted to do outside the classroom before I left for school: 1. Be on a student leadership committee. 2. Actively involved in athletics 3. Join at least one club I'm passionate about. Even if you don't achieve all of the goals you set, you'll end up above the rest. I am fortunate to have achieved the goals I set for myself. I was a representative for our student section, played on the club ice hockey team, and joined Colleges Against Cancer hosting the Relay For Life event on campus. Being involved in extracurriculars without feeling overwhelmed is a key to a successful college experience. Join a club that interests you (there's something for everyone!) and build new relationships and boost your self confidence in doing something you're passionate about as a community.

3. Friends I Made and the People I Met

The friends I made at Gonzaga changed my life and continue to change it. They are the ones who were there for me when the times were tough and the ones who I had the best years of my life with. They are joyful and adventurous, and have a high level of integrity. Choose your friends wisely. They are a reflection of your character and will be guiding you positively or negatively during your time in school. Go outside your comfort zone, and 'be first' by introducing yourself to new people. If you connect, form relationships with them and make them friends that will last your lifetime. 

4. Taking Foreign Language Classes

I emphasized classes as plural because I think it is one of the most valuable things you can do in college, taking at least one foreign language course. I had the opportunity to take Latin and Mandarin Chinese, which were two of the best decisions I made. In Latin, I learned about where my own native language came from and how to decipher some of the Latin language that continues to have a big impact on our society today in economics, science, law, etc. The professor, Father Krall, a Jesuit priest, was later cemented as my favorite college professor. Mandarin Chinese gave me a glimpse into not only a new language, but also a new culture. Without taking that class, I'm not sure I would have ever actually moved to Asia.

5. Opening My Mind

I grew up in a small town in California's Central Valley, and even though I was able to experience a lot through the years, it does not compare to a living in a large city where you get to see much more each day. I was raised with a mindset that had safety and conservatism at the forefront. I admire that mindset and am proud to have grown up in it. But in college, I was able to sit down with other people and hear new thoughts and stories that changed many of my views. College opened my mind to a globally connected world, and challenged my belief system. Sit down with your friends and have long discussions about ideas, problems, etc and open your mind to all viewpoints.

Wacky Wednesday

About a month ago I discovered a new app called The List App, which is according to their website, a "social network based on the power and simplicity of lists." I am now using this app to share my thoughts, findings, or anything I think is interesting (among other things), once a week, in a post entitled "Wacky Wednesday." I named it after one of my favorite books as a kid and one I donated to my school library in elementary school: 'Wacky Wednesday' by Dr. Seuss. Also, I think sometimes the stuff that finds its way into my brain is sometimes pretty 'wacky.'

I'm starting these posts because I believe its a better way to look back and reflect upon my week in a concise, easy to read summary, instead of jumbled paragraphs. Another reason to start doing this is I think 'WW' is going to improve my mindfulness and the organization of my thoughts by encouraging consistency, curiousity, and creativity.

I hope you find these 'wacky' updates interesting and that this will more than make up for my previous lack of regular posts. Posted below are the last four 'Wacky Wednesday' links:

12.16.15

https://li.st/l/1c3rknri9wKz9XTDHgnFa6

12.23.15

https://li.st/l/3nWoboAHVPvYqhYqZSYbKo

12.31.15

https://li.st/l/5ARhV0kuIYnhqAgGDlegBu

1.7.16

https://li.st/l/60ZD7gwiMkHxiEzK7kAZCs

Quick Thoughts and Highlights On 2015

Highlights

• Going to Las Vegas in March to see the Gonzaga Bulldogs take the WCC Championship
• Gonzaga advancing to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament
• In April, visiting my sister in Lexington, Kentucky at UK. Attended my first horse races, toured Buffalo Trace bourbon distillery, and drove to Indianapolis for Final Four festivities.
• In June, my great friend David Sheppard and I raised over $5,000 for breast cancer research through the Denise M. Chesney Memorial Bike Ride across Washington State from Seattle to Spokane.
• Attending the first ever US Open in the Northwest, at Chambers Bay, on my birthday. 
• Moved to Taipei, Taiwan, getting a job teaching English in the city
• Went to Green Island, a tiny island off of Taiwan's east coast for Mid-Autumn Festival
• Traveled to Okinawa with David Sheppard and David Hoover to honor the US Military for the Armed Forces Classic basketball game between Gonzaga and Pittsburgh
• Spent Christmas in Hong Kong

Thoughts

• June 2015 probably might have been the best month of my life. Riding across Washington State in honor of my mom raising money and awareness for breast cancer, attending the US Open on my birthday, and moving to Asia. I'm very proud of and grateful for all that I was able to do, especially in that month.
• Quote that describes my year: "The greatest satisfaction in life is making a difference in somebody else's life." -Sir Richard Branson. I felt like I've made a impact on more people's lives in 2015 than any other year through coaching tennis, charity activities, and teaching English.
• It has been a transformational year for me living half of it in Asia, experiencing totally new places, lifestyles, mindsets, customs, etc and making new friends from all over the world.
• Simply put, 2015 was the greatest year of my life.

Much More Than Basketball: Okinawa and the Armed Forces Classic

One year ago, I messaged one of my best friends, David Sheppard, with a link to an ESPN press release stating the location and teams of the next Armed Forces Classic. I accompanied the link with a simple comment, "Dude, it's destiny," since we were likely going to move to Asia the next summer. Our Gonzaga Bulldogs were going to play the Pittsburgh Panthers in Okinawa, Japan on the US Marine Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, the second weekend of November, 2015. We both understood the magnitude of this event, honoring our military service members through college basketball, and how special it would be to attend. So we started planning.

Eleven months had passed and Dave and I had not only settled in nicely to our new lives in Asia, but had planned most of our trip to Okinawa with the game tickets, flights, and Airbnb secured. Our hours and hours of research and Dave working with directors in the Gonzaga alumni and athletic offices to acquire tickets had paid off. We were going to Okinawa and the Armed Forces Classic.

Eating like an Okinawan.

November 12th finally arrived and I was headed to Naha, Okinawa. Dave and I hadn't seen each other since June, so a big embrace was in order. We took the bus up to Chatan with the help of a friendly Okinawan to meet Kiichi, our Airbnb host for the weekend. Kiichi couldn't have been more welcoming. He and his apartment provided everything we needed and more. After getting settled, he drove us to a fast casual restaurant, where I had goya for the first time. The tofu was good, but the famous vegetable that supposedly plays a part in why Okinawa has the largest percentage of centurians in the world (4x greater than the next) was a little too bitter for my liking. Maybe I won't live to 100 then. We ended our first night with some Orions, the popular local beer, on the beach, and some Japanese television at the apartment.

Unwinding at Araha Beach.

The next morning we awoke to a bright, sunny day and headed out for a swim in the East China Sea, where we had refreshing water temperatures and silky, white sand. Friday was our day to explore the island with the Armed Forces Classic and post-game events being held the next day. Kiichi graciously helped us rent a car, and we were off. But not before handing us a Pat Metheny CD and the parting advice, "Just remember, left side." I couldn't believe he handed us that CD because I really enjoy his music and have seen him in concert. After I told him that, Kiichi was the one stunned and replied, "Ohh that is my dream!" What are the chances a guy on a small island in the Pacific whose apartment I'm staying at loves a jazz musician I've seen live? Crazy. The reason he said "just remember, left side..." is that Japan drives on the left side of the road, which is something I happily crossed off my bucket list. I only lost concentration a couple of times. Luckily, there were no cars coming.

250,000 names engraved in stone.

Thanks to Dave's excellent navigation, we made it to one of the southern most points on Okinawa's main island, the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. The Peace Park honors the 250,000 military members and civilians who died in the Battle of Okinawa between April and June of 1945. Each prefecture of Japan has built their own monuments to honor their home soliders along the southeast section, overlooking the ocean, which I thought was a special tribute. As we made our way through the Park, the emotions were powerful. Thinking of the bloodshed that occured on the very ground you're standing on is saddening, but it was a battle that needed to be won by the Allies to provide an advantage that was instrumental in ending the war.

We had a few minutes in between finishing our tour of Peace Memorial Park and picking up our good friend, David Hoover, at the airport, so we decided to do something that I had recalled from my research: The Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters. Making our way to Naha City and zig zagging through different neighborhoods where the streets are barely wide enough to let one car through, I didn't completely trust NaviDave. "Are you sure this is the way?" "According to Google, yes." After a few minutes, we see the sign to into the small parking area for the Underground HQ. Whew, we made it.

Inside the tunnels.

We headed inside to get our tickets and walk down over a hundred feet into a series of tunnels that Dave and I were too tall for in some places. These tunnels were stunning and preserved well for the war that went on. There was information on each of the rooms in the HQ, such as the coding room, commanding officers room, and medical wing. I imagined the final days of the battle inside the HQ, and how frantic everything would have been knowing the Allies were just days away from invading their stronghold. The Allied Forces approached the HQ in the middle of June 1945, to awaiting Japanese who fought until the very end.

Dave and I explored two profound historical sites which honor soldiers and civilians, both with an emphasis on peace and hope that this never happens again. We will remember it forever.

Our baby for the day.

American Village.

We later picked up 'Hoov' at the airport and I said, "Hoover, I'm just gonna get in on the ride side and drive here." He was confused at the joke, only to hop in the black Honda Life and realize it wasn't a joke after all. We couldn't stop laughing. We made it back to Chatan, and later took a cab to American Village, an area popular for its similarities to American culture, with lively bars, restaurants, and music. We were longing for some big burgers, so we went to a restaurant called Cantina and got a those along with a stein of Orion, of course. After dinner, we went to a Blue Seal Ice Cream shop for a few Okinawa Salt Cookie flavored cones. I knew I needed to have Blue Seal before I came to the island because not only did I hear it was delicious, but also their interesting story. Blue Seal was founded in the US, but moved to Okinawa in 1948 to supply the stationed troops with dairy products, and its popularity has grown ever since. You can find Blue Seal shops all throughout the island. Dave, Hoover, and I finished off the night at a bar reminiscing of our days at GU...a great way to prep for the Armed Forces Classic the next day.

On 4 hours of sleep, I woke up at 6:30 am to my alarm, but there was another that was more effective. I heard Zombie Nation, the Gonzaga student section anthem, from the other room. Dave couldn't have chosen a better song to get us up and at 'em. Our excitement was through the roof. Dave and I took a cab to American Village, where we boarded a bus with many more Gonzaga fans (about 15) than Pitt fans (3), exactly the way it should be.

National Anthems.

See caption above.

We had been waiting a long time for this moment. We were inside Foster Fieldhouse. The atmosphere was electric. Dave and I even made it to ESPN. I got chills during both national anthems, as I thought about what we had seen the day before and how fortunate I was to be here for this special event. The game tipped off, but you could tell five minutes in something was wrong with the court. The players were slipping constantly. The dripping sweat and increased condensation from the rain made it a dangerous court to play on. Nearing the end of halftime, looking forward to cheering on the Zags to a comeback victory, a PA announcement came on. Busy taking a video, I only heard enough to where I had to ask Dave what was said. It took Dave a second to process, and then shouted, "What!? They're cancelling the game!" I replied "No, you're kidding..." But then I looked down at the bench and could see Coach Few say to our Preseason Player of the Year Kyle Wiltjer, "It's over." Nobody could believe it. What a huge disappointment.

Post (half) game.

But the disappointment didn't stay too long. After Coach Few's epic "Nobody's Tougher Than You Marines" speech, the players and military members gathered on the court to hang out and thank one another. It was an incredible moment, and reminded us all that the Armed Forces Classic is about much more than basketball.

2015-16 All Glue Team member, Kyle Dranginis.

After we exited the gym and sent off the Zags (shoutout to Przemek, Kyle D., and Rem #ZagsTakeVegas2013), we met a current Marine and 2002 Gonzaga graduate, Mike Lupient. We had a fantastic conversation about all kinds of stuff like our lives in Asia, days at Gonzaga living on Mission and Nora, how he became a Marine, etc. He lived a similar life to many new college graduates working a professional job, but after one year said to himself, 'Hey, there's got to be more to life than this" and decided become a Marine to serve his country. He now has a beautiful family and is an avid diver in one of the best diving spots on the planet. Mike is one of those old school Zags, and we couldn't have asked for a better guy to spend time with on the base.

Zags and one tired future Zag.

Dave and I explored the base, and wound up finding an A&W/Pizza Hut for some classic American grub & a root beer and a bowling alley where we got a quick game in. After my bowling victory (Dave usually wins), we headed back for a much needed nap. What a day it had been.

We went out in American Village for a late dinner to an Italian restaurant and then to a bar called "Cheers" to end the night. We woke up the next morning to go for one last relaxing swim at the beach. Although there was one problem. We thought we would be back in time to leave to the airport a little before 10 am, but that suddenly turned into 10:30. Kiichi came in clutch once again and drove us to the airport. We were 30 minutes "early" but they still didn't let us through the gates. Dave barely made his flight at the next terminal, but Hoover and I were out of luck. We had to pay the change fee to get the flight at 9 pm back to Taipei. I had never missed a flight in my life, and I was frustrated and dissappointed that we didn't leave when we said were.

But just like the basketball game, disappointment soon turned into enjoyment. Hoover and I got to explore the city of Naha, first with a trip along its monorail to Shuri Castle. The castle was constructed in the 14th century, but much of it destroyed in World War II and rebuilt in 1992. This was the social and economic hub of the Ryuku Kingdom, the historical name for the land, for almost 500 years. (Sidenote: I highly recommend reading about the Ryuku Kingdom if you're interested in history). From the castle outlook, you can see all of Naha with the Pacific Ocean shimering in the background. Absolutely magnificent.

Shuri Castle overlooking Naha City and the Pacific Ocean.

But first, let us take a selfie.

On our way out of the castle, we ran into a few Japanese girls who wanted to take a selfie with us, so...of course we did! After a few photos, we waved goodbye to them and had to get an "arrigato gozaimasu" in, cause you know, we're 'cultured gentleman.' We took to the monorail back to Kokusai Street, the most famous street on the island, to pick up some gifts and enjoy a traditional Okinawan meal of soba noodles and rice, complete with an Orion. Hoover and I arrived at Naha International Airport two hours early and made this flight back to Taipei. One of the best weekends of my life had just concluded, spent with great friends in an unbelievably beautiful setting.


Okinawa is a gorgeous and fascinating place with its own unique culture, and I cannot wait to return. We experienced a wide range of emotions during our trip. Sadness when exploring battle grounds where many soliders and civilians perished, but then also joy, watching our favorite sports team play and meeting amazing new people. I'm extremely grateful for the freedoms I have thanks to our military service members' sacrifice. My time in Okinawa and being a part of the 2015 Armed Forces Classic made me even more proud to be a Zag and an American.

Staying Active in Taiwan

Staying active in Taipei has proved to be less of a challenge than I initially thought. Before I came over to Taiwan, I had done some research and spoken with some friends who warned me about the great food and laid back lifestyle, which would likely equate to putting on some pounds. However, using that and my Taiwanese friends' "next year Doug is going to be a little 'fluffier'" predictions as motivation, I have actually lost some weight while abroad through changes in my daily routine.

The first thing that has made a difference in staying active is living without a car. Sure, not having a car in 95% of the US isn't really practical, but not having one available makes a huge difference in how active your lifestyle is. I do miss driving my car, however, your life becomes more simplified because it's one less thing you have to worry about. It isn't until I moved abroad that I learned how little walking/cardio I was doing. Now, I am walking close to a couple miles each day between going to and from the Metro to the school where I teach. And if the MRT isn't practical or it's after the last train, you can burn a few calories by hopping on a YouBike for 5 NTD to get where you need to go ($.15 USD).

View of Taipei from National Taiwan University

Another thing I try to do is run every morning. I'm fortunate to live by universities (National Taiwan University and National Taiwan Normal University) which I can run through and on great rubber tracks, as well as Da'an Park, basically a smaller version of Manhattan's Central Park. I enjoy running in the morning, especially at these places because of all the other people you see in their own activities such as meditation and sports. Every once in a while on the morning runs, I'll stop at the reflexology footpath, something you see quite a few older Taiwanese doing. How they do it with such ease I do not know, because it's really painful. It improves your health with increased blood circulation and stress relief and supposedly shows you what parts of your body are not adequately healthy if you feel a lot pain in that specific area. When I walk on the path, the middle of my right and left feet hurt, so according to the chart I may have a small issue with my stomach and liver. We'll see how it plays out.

NTU reminds me a lot of my second favorite college campus, Stanford. 

Some of the other random things I've done to stay active are hiking and a kickboxing class with my friend Gill. Hiking in Taiwan is absolutely incredible, and can't wait to do it more often. It's really as much climbing as it is hiking, which is quite a difference from hiking in the US where most everything is a paved path you only walk on. You have to use the ropes on the trail and the exposed tree roots to pull yourself up and rappel down. We hiked about 10 KM in an area about 45 mins southwest of Taipei, called San Xia where the views from the 700 meter peak of the small towns and rest of the all green mountain side were amazing. After hiking, we got a chance to explore the old downtown of San Xia, with beautiful temples and eerie streets.

       


I also joined a soccer team back in September, and I've played in 5 games so far as goalkeeper with a 3-2 record. I haven't played keeper in about a decade, so I would say it hasn't been a bad start. Even saved a penalty. I always enjoy playing keeper because I love to be a leader at the back, and provide a solid foundation so that the team is confident moving forward and coming back in defense. Outside the field, we've got a tight knit group of guys from all over the world always looking to have a good time. Some of the activities we've done together include pool parties and Arsenal games at the pub, which can get a little crazy, and FIFA with pretty unreal competition.

Squad goals.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is so important in leading a fulfilling life, and I'll always strive to be doing something active and challenging myself. After a couple years, I can finally say I have defeated the COG (Gonzaga Dining Hall). It needs to stay defeated for a very long time, preferably my whole life.

Green Island: The Long Weekend

My friends Spencer, Gill, and Laura and I decided to take advantage of this past long weekend and head out to a small, surrounding island 33 KM east of Taiwan, Green Island (Lǜ dǎo). The reason for the three day weekend was Mid Autumn Festival or Moon Festival, which can be compared to Thanksgiving in the U.S: a celebration of the harvest and time for family gatherings, large meals, and of course, football.

Route this weekend. Green Island is the end of red line.

We left at midnight to drive six hours down to Taichung in Spencer's car to catch the Saturday 9:30 am ferry, missing the holiday traffic. I only got around 2-3 hours of sleep before the boat ride, and about an hour before we departed we had a delicious ham and egg sandwich for breakfast. We made our way down to the dock at 9 am for boarding, and in a few minutes were off on the 50 minute ride to Green Island. 

Five minutes into the ride, I'm thinking 'Ok, it's like a Six Flags roller coaster." 15 minutes in: 'This is some messed up roller coaster.' 20 minutes in: I'll give you three guesses...Without going into too much detail, me and that good breakfast I mentioned did not make it across the strait together. I don't remember ever being on a boat where you feel all of the topsi-turviness of the sea, and I got rocked. The lack of sleep didn't help either. The ride back was better, but let's get into the island life first. 

After getting off the boat, I still felt a little nauseous and disoriented. Luckily the first vendor we came to had some soft serve ice cream, which helped a bit, as soft serve usually does. We then found our liaison and picked up our scooters, and were off to our hostel. The narrow, winding roads along with the gorgeous mountain and ocean scenery made for an exhilarating drive. Maybe more rehabilitating in my case. But what really saved me is sleeping in the hostel for a few hours before snorkeling.

All we need is two good wheels. 

Guayin Cave and view, after snorkeling

We woke up a little late for snorkeling, but driving like it was a Scooter Grand Prix we made it to the shop just in time to get our goofy gear on and head out to sea. We had to stay in a group with our life vests on, but the coral reef and fish were spectacular, including the familiar humuhumunukunukuapua'as. When our aspiring travel agent/friend Gill asked if we could go out on our own without vests, the guide responded "ni men ru guo yao qu ri ben," or "if y'all wanna go to Japan..." The current was a little too strong. We got back on our scooters and continued east to make our first of 4 trips around the 15 KM island. 

Since it was Moon Festival, we had a special BBQ celebration planned for the evening. Green Island is known for its many deer prancing in the mountain side, so naturally that was the meat of choice. I highly encourage trying it if you haven't already (at least similar meats like elk and bison). Delicious and one of the leanest meats around. Before we left, we heard some rumors that ferries would be canceled on Monday because of a typhoon and everyone visiting would have to go back the next day. We were enjoying ourselves too much to keep that on our minds.

BBQing the deer meat, corn, etc. in the pit right at our table

The place jamming to Fetty Wap, believe it or not.

We all headed out to Daibasha Beach for some wine and gazing at the full moon after the BBQ, just as the ancient Chinese did many centuries ago in their celebrations. Strong comparison, I know. However, it was a very pure experience with only friends and wine on a tiny island's beach in the Pacific, and no distractions or worries. We had to get resourceful with the wine opening, so we found the longest and skinniest rock we could find to push the cork into the bottle. Really fancy and sophisticated, but it was some of the best wine I've ever had...if you include the setting. 

The next morning, I went for a small jog and got to explore the tide pools, which brought back good memories of camping on the California coast as a boy. When I returned, the rumors from the night before were confirmed and we did have to leave the island at 12:30. Huge disappointment. We hurried out for breakfast (*nervous emoji*) and then went around the island once more to our last stop before departing, Zhaori Hot Springs. Zhaori is one of only three saltwater hot springs in the world, so you could say it's kind of a big deal. If we didn't have to leave that day, we would have spent all day here. So serene and relaxing. 

Zhaori Hot Springs

A local cooking eggs in the boiling hot spring.

It was time to head back to the port, and get on the 12:30 ferry. I was more optimistic for the ride this time around after taking three motion sickness pills. Looking at the horizon more helped, and even though I did feel dizzy, I did not get sick! Great victory, I had deafeated the "infamous Green Island ferry." We piled into the car and headed off to stay at Spencer's place in Changhua County, near Taichung City.

Victory.

First Class to Taipei.

Spencer's parents couldn't have been more welcoming, providing us with both a big dinner that night and breakfast the next morning. It's that #TaiwaneseHospitality, friendly and accomodating to everyone. Spencer's dad even drove us to the High Speed Rail station on Monday around noon. However, after waiting in line for 30 minutes, tickets to Taipei sold out. There was no way we had time to wait in the enormous cab line to the regular train station, so we walked a half a mile to flag down one on our own. We finally get to the normal train station, waited in another long line, and found ourselves with "first class" standing room only tickets. The last standing room only tickets I had were to a Red Sox-Yankees game on the Green Monster. Needless to say, I prefer standing at Fenway Park. To top it all off, we were delayed almost three hours on the tracks because of the typhoon. It wasn't the most pleasant traveling I've done, and we were back home in Taipei six hours later, welcomed by 60 mph winds and pouring rain.

These things happen sometimes while traveling, but it's all part of the experience. We can learn from it, and next time get up a little bit earlier to get where we need to go. Even though some of the transportation was a little rough, we still had an amazing weekend on a pure, beautiful Pacific island with holiday celebrations, snorkeling, relaxing in one of the few saltwater hot springs on the planet, and making it nearly all the way around the island of Taiwan. Typhoons trying to dampen our spirits...not gonna happen...for the most part.