Oui, Oui

Bare feet on a hard wood floor, sheltered from the wind and rain, sipping on a strong cup of Guatamalen coffee, inside a cozy apartment in Paris. Could I ask for more. Maybe a loved one. Got that too. My brother is in the city as well. Sometimes things just work out.
I arrived yesterday morning from Antwerp, Belgium. Antwerp was very interesting. I hadn't envisioned headed to this northern port city in any of my plans. But in Berlin, yes almost three weeks ago, I met a man, who prefers to be called a "universal assistant". Baba D...is his name and this UA has been travelling the world since 1992. Bali, India, Brazil, you name it. Baba looked and talked as if he was well traveled; the hair from his chin 6 inches long, the rest of the beard only about three or so, and the tips of his blond hair well past his shoulders. He speaks nine languages including Balinese and Hindu. We had many conversations, in English, about life. He claims to never have drank coffee and hasn't touched booze in 25 years. He says when he did drink it was enough for three lives. He always found ways to incorporate the Mayan calender in life. From what I understand this time keeper is based on the moon, not the sun, and the 9 month cycle it takes for babies to be born. Honestly, I don't really get it but Baba says there's nothing to get, it just is. Anyway you can check out one of his websites here.
Basically I went to Antwerp because I had to head west from Germany to get nearer to Paris and in Antwerp there was a cheap place for me to stay. It was diffinitely a great learning experience: I was exposed to spirituallity, theories and esoteric beings. Of all the reasons to come to Europe(the food, the sights, the beer, the history) meeting new people and listening to their stories was and is the most important thing to me. To some degree we're in a bubble back home and its great having that bublle popped and understanding this world encompasses so many diffeent lifestyles and viewpoints.
So now I'm in Paris looking forward to meeting up with Co and his girlfriend for lunch. Where I guarantee I'll have a coffee, and an onion soup (here it isn't French, it just is).

Quickly:

Reading: "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie
Eating: So much cheese I'm lactating...just kidding...about the lactating part
Hoping: I'll get one sunny day in Paris
Excited about: Seeing Co and eating the stinkiest cheeses right thenand there
Looking forward to: Prague and drinking the finest beer on the planet with Mitchell B!!!

Peace on Earth,
Tyler J. Fox

Gathering Moss

Berlin was a whirlwind. Well, more like the wind was whirling. The first thing I noticed in Berlin was the raised subway tracks. I guess it's not actually the subway if it's raised but, anyway, that's what I noticed. Next was the diveristy of the people. When I say diversity I don't particularly mean ethnically. Diversity in the sense that there is such a wide array of clothes, hairstyles, lifestyles, actually just about anything that can be different was. I imagine this sense of individuality flourised in the years following the collapse of the wall. With a new realized freedom people just went for it and didn't allow the shackles of conformity weigh them down any longer. Conversely, in Santa Barbara girls watch whats next on the tube to see what they should wear. Boys, without exception, follow the ebbs and flows of trend. Personally, when people do the same thing I don't believe this to be freedom, it's actually conformity. What do I need to fit in? is a common thought amongst youth. I am not innocent of having had this same ideology. I was raised in Southern California, possibly the most superficial place in the States. But being out here, in particular Berlin, I've noticed that people act, dress, and live the way that want to. Just an opening thought.
I'm back in Dresden. Today the weather is wonderful, easily the best of November. It's a mild 14 degrees celcius. Dotting a clear blue sky are a few coasting clouds floating few and far between. The River Elbe, serenly slicing Dresing in half, flows with a calmness that maskes the dangers it's currents posess. I'm a fan of the city BUT I'm a bit tired of the routine out here.
Truth is I find it hard to connect with Germans. There's one or two that I can hang out with but for the most part it's hard to communicate. It's not the language, they speak English great. Truthfully I feel looked down upon. Not pitied, but unimportant. I feel that it's not the cultural differnces as much as it's that I'm American. People demonize the States, at times rightfully so, and they prech how the US is unfair, and ignorant. But when someone judges me not based on who I am but where I'm from that's unfair, ignorant and hypocritical.
I'm tired of politics. Every person I meet who finds out I'm American, wants to talk about the same things. How did Bush get re-elected? who will run for president in 2008? what is the plan for Iraq? Then there's the war for oil shouters who are unwilling to listening to any other points of view, there's a common conclusion that Bush is a facsist, and all the 9/11-government-conspiracy theorists "informing" you of tales as tall as the towers themselves. I've heard every theory that "informed kids" read on a web site that their friends showed them and swore "it was the truth."

The truth is, at times, I talk politics and I know I'm well informed, especially having not spent much time on US soil lately. I even feel somewhat obligated to assure people that not all of us want war, more guns, bigger walls, and world domination. But, come on folks, I'm just travelling like the rest of you. I guess maybe I'm just a bit fatigued. I'm gonna find something, some direction and I'm gonna devote time and energy into. I can't keep going through the same routine. It gets old.

Reading: "Cafe Europa" A book about living in Eastern Europe after the fall of the USSR
Listening to: Radiohead "Hail to the Theif"
Anticipating: Seeing my brother in Paris
Surprised By: The 49ers' 4-5 record. Go Niners!
Hoping For: Another beautiful day tomorrow.
peace and love,
T.J. Elwell

Pushing Blocs Eastern

Sitting in Lollie's Hostel in Dresden. I've now been here five days and have greatly enjoyed myself. I arrived Wednesday night at 10pm. Unfortunenly(or, maybe fortunently) I didn't arrive on two wheels with legs pedaling. The last day of riding the bike brought me to the fairy tale town of Hameln (from the Brother Grimms "the Pied Piper"). Hameln was alright but the hostel was outta commission and the cheapest place I could find to stay was 45€. Too high for my account. That night in Hameln the wind was swirling, leaves chaotically twirling, and the rain splattering against the window pane. I started to think that tomorrow my bike journey may have to take a break. My left knee was also in some serious pain from going to hard the past 4 days. Upon contemplation of my next move I decided to wake up in the morning and get a train across the former cold war boarder to the famous battle-scarred city Dresden.
Dresden is a culturite's heaven. Art studios, cafes, bars, independent clothing establishments, and Turkish kebap eateries line the graffiti decored streets. The city center is small enough to walk through in under an hour. Since 90%+ of the city was destroyed in the waning days of the European theater in 1945, most of the buildings are new for European standards. (I couldn't imagine the magnificence of Europe in the years precluding the first World War, and even before the second. Damn Germans). There are stil some old churches and government buildings that have been here for hundreds of years and which are pleasing on the eyes. A few times here I thought of San Franicsco and what it must of looked like before the earthquake and subsuquent fire that destroyed vast swaths of America's greatest city.
My next plan is to head up to Berlin...uhhh, the big B, and then make a few day trip to Postdam. Then I'll come back down here, stay for maybe another week, and then hop on a train that'll drop me off in Prague starry-eyed and rosy cheeked. Germany is awesome, I can't believe in my preliminary plans I was looking to avoid it. Word of advice: Come to Dresden.

Tidbits
Reading: "Chronicles: Vol. 1" Bob Dylan
Drinking: The original "Budweiser" from Czech. Amazing.
Thinking: Girls get better looking the furthest east you go...stopping of course at the Ural Mountains.
Hoping: To see good live music somewhere in Berlin.
Wishing: All of you could spend time out here with me.

Peace and Love,
Tyler James Elwell...beatch!

Oh, How Things Change

Last post I was sitting at my Turkish hostel professing my strong curiosity and fascination with ancient Byzintine. But soon this nostalgia soon wore off. After 3 days I was ready to leave. I was fatigued. In 1 month I had been to Beijing, Moscow, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Istanbul. I was mentally, physically and emotionally drained. I was far from ready to delve back into chaotic Asia, where buses run on their own clocks and painted lines in the streets are merely suggestions. Although I was feeling this way I had in some degrees alerady committed myself to Turkey. I mean, for darn sake's, I flew over all of Europe, with TWO layovers on the continent, to get to Turkey. Yet my heart and mind were not prepared for the challenges which a developing country throws at you on a day to day basis. With all these mixed feelings I decided that I would leave Istanbul and head down the coast to Galipolli, to get an injection of hands on history. The night before I was to leave in the early morning to hop on a bus, my dear friend Jesse instant messaged me. Jess and I go back from the good ol' college days (wow, I'm becoming aged). Jess lives in Amsterdam where he is working on a thesis which upon satisfactory completion he'll be provided with a slip of paper authenticicating that he truly is a master. Anyway, that night Jess let me know that in two days he would be celebrating his birthday and that I should make my way out there. After going over logistics and finding a cheap flight I was on a plane the morning of his birthday.
AMSTERDAM! Now some of you may hear the name and instantly think the red light district, decrimilized drugs and Heiniken. But there is so much more to the city. Boats on canals, bikes on their paths and metro lines, keep an overflow of cars outta the center. The architecture is magnificent. If I knew a damn thing about it I'm sure I could say that it was gothic and neoclassical, or art deco and cubanist, but honestly I don't know what those mean. All I know is that the city looks like a place in a romantic film with a movie script ending.
I spent six wonderful days in the 'Dam. Thanks so much to Jess and his very welcoming girlfriend, Jenneka(I hope I spelled that right). To back track; the night before I left Istanbul I was talking to a German and an Andorrin guy. Both of whom, although seperatly, were on long bicycle trips that had taken them through Europe and were going to take them to India eventually. I started to think since my plans were about to be changed that I needed to come up with some new ones. Suddenly, the lightbulb flicked on. Next thing you know I'm in Amsterdam paying a Dutch guy 35€ for a blue, used road bike with ram horn handle bars and 25€ to the heavily tatooed Portuguese bike shop dude for a couple of bags to hang over the back tire and a routine tune-up . Now I'm 5 days into a bike trip that in it's entirity will cross the Netherlands, Germany and however many kilometers of the Czech Republic it takes to get me to Prague.
Who would've known a week ago. I sure didn't.

Bridging the Bosphorous

So here I am writing in the wee hours of the morning unable to sleep past 5 cause of my jet lag. I woke up and decided to head outta the dorm room and read a bit. At quarter to 6 I started to hear blaring loud speakers. The singing of the Koran, which is a call to prayer for all devout Muslims, comes from speakers atop Mosque minerets jetting towards heaven. 5 times a day the call occurs and you see herds of women in head scarves and men in casual dress(no shorts) heading to the various mosques. It's such a different world.
Today I'm gonna go on one of the boat taxis. I'm not sure where I'm going but I have my hostels business card so I know I'll get back. This city is interesting, beautiful and charming but I think I'm gonna take off tomorrow and head down the coast of the Aegean sea. I wanna get to the beaches and islands before the fall comes on and the temperatures drop. Along the way I'll stop at WWI battlefields (Galipoli), cities (Troy) and modern Muslim quarters where one can be sure the meat roasting is not pork.
In a city where Europe and Asia meld (not collide) I feel as though I'm in the Middle East. Hookas, belly dancers, dark complections and the divine prescence of religion are at every turn. It's a world that I have only seen in Indiana Jones movies and one that I hoped to someday experience. Well here I am Istanbul, at your gateway that is the end and beginning of not only land masses but also my previous notions of muslim life.
Till the next post.
peace and love.
Tye

The Bull's Eye in the Middle Kingdom

Today I rode a bike throughout the city like a true China man. This place is 100% absolutely rediculous. It is huge in every aspect. The streets, the buildings, the egos. I don't know what the next 20, 30, 50 years holds for this country but it's gonna be real interesting. One thing I've come to believe being here is that China's continual rise of power will be peaceful. I've come to this opinion because these people don't want to do anything to stop the flow of money coming into their paws. Now, that being said they always want to keep face, whether bargaining or reassesing bad decisions, so I can't say they wouldn't fight. But these people want to get RICH. They'll sign contracts with Sudan, Zimbabwe, Iran, Myanmar and North Korea if it's benefits them. They'll let you check out late from the hostel for the right price and you can flag down almost any car in the country and it'll give you a lift for the right kilometer to Yuan ratio. Shit (no pun intended)Almost every public bathroom costs money and with my bladder I've been forking out some dough.
I'm in amazement of this place but not in a negative or positve way but I'm just, utterly amazed

The Orient Express

What Up folks. I'm sitting in Xi'an, China amongst plumes of cigerette smoke. It's ridiculous, people smoke everywhere here. No joke...everywhere. It's been an interesting trip so far. Pretty much everything I planned has not gone as planned. My traveler's cheques got denied. I guess my signature didn't match. Sure pal. I was gonna get a train outta Yantai but ended up flying because I wasn't gonna sit on a hard ass wooden bench for 24 hours. Yesterday I flew from Yantai to Shanghai and then had to transfer to another airport to get my flight Xi'an. I was fortunent enough to go through the heart of Shanghai. It was absolutely amazing. When people talk about China as the next superpower they must have been to Shanghai. Ever building sparkles as though it's made of diamonds. At one point I counted 13 building cranes and I was only looking straight. The contrasts are so different here though. 25 cent 22oz beers are sold next to giant Louis Voutton stores. Street vendor's haggle, plead, beg, for the bill's that communist comrade Chairman Mao's round mug frequents. Communism only exists in the name itself. The Canadians have more social welfare.
The language is much different than Korean. I'm completely lost, well, almost. I've had ample time so I've taught myself some greetings, the numbers, and a few sayings like "how much is it" and "where is the bathroom." Also I know my liquids: water, beer, and tea. The writing is way out of my league. I ain't even gonna attempt it.
My next stop will be Chengdu. It's in the foothills east of the Tibetan Plateau. I'll probably head outta here Tuesday. Tomorrow I'm heading out to the Terracotta warriors. Google them. I gotta get outta this smoke stained wire lined room. From the Orient with love.
Tye

Tyler Elwell to World: "Here I Come"

8 working days left, a month to say good-bye and still so much going on.
As I write, my passport is being transported to Busan via Cliff Claven's South Korean counterpart. Upon arrival, a travel agent will take my most valuable possession to the Chinese embassy where a double entry visa will join the collection of stamps and visas, after, of course I transfer the $125 it takes to tour China and re-enter the counrty, which will be needed, if say, you decide to take a float down the Mekong river in northern Laos. Laos you ask...I thought you were going to China, Russia and Europe? Isn't Laos going the exact opposite way? Well the answer is yes and yes. But since I've become completely consumed with the "China Lonely Planet" schemes having been brewing. I've imagined climbing mountain passes up to the Tibetan Plateau, trekking trough subtropical bamboo forests inhabited by pandas and floating river journeys that meander along gradual banks that are concealed by dense, morning fog. I'm going to a place where boat captains in large cone-shaped straw hats use sticks to navigate treacherous currents.
So here's my plan for the next few months: Complete my contract July 27th and head up to Seoul on the 29th. In Seoul, I'll see my good friend Amanda off, she's headed back to Colorado, and chill with Kristy and Mikey. I don't know how much chilling we're going to be doing up at the DMZ. We'll be guided by a US soldier, who will lend us binoculars to peer at North Korean servicemen. We'll tread lightly into one of the NK-dug infiltration tunnels found in the 70s by the Southies. And when scoping out the worlds largest flag pole with the worlds largest flag wonder why thousands of North Koreans are starving while such superficial propanganda continues to be perpetuated by this desperate, pathetic, saber-rattling, hermit state.
While up at the DMZ my passport will once again be in foreign hands. This time with another country that played a major role in the war that divided this peninsula: Russia. The Ruskies charge an arm and leg to get in their country as well, it'll probably total $170 or so. Once I get my visa I'll make my way back down to Yeosu. At this time, I'll no longer have a place to call my home, so I'm planning on renting a minbak (a room at a guesthouse) on the beach and just relaxing for a few days. With my heavy work schudule I rarely was able to travel throughout Korea or even relax much. So the first week of August I'm going to have a "Yeosu Vacation." Following this 4-day period of reading, playing guitar, swimming, eating and sleeping I'll train-it back to Seoul. My company to Seoul, will be Aaron and Michelle, who are two fabulous Ontarians that are getting hitched in October. They're both big basketball fans and with the US national team coming to play in Seoul mid-August I thought what could be better than a few beers and a few cheers with some friends before I take off. I bought (second to) top-rate tickets that are within barking distance of Kobe on the bench. D. Wade and Lebron are the two biggest names on the team. They're not guarenteed to suit up but still the chance to see them in Korea is just too cool. We're gonna see a double-header, US vs. Lithuania and South Korean vs. the Dirty Itals. The date is August 13th.
August 15th will be my last day on Korean soil, this time around. I'm departing from Incheon at 6pm and 12 hours later I'll be in China. No the plane isn't flying to Thailand and back, the FERRY will be crossing the Yellow Sea. From my Chinese arrival city, Yantai, I'll probably take a train to Xi'an, where there's some amazing old artifacts, such as the Army of Terracotta Warriors; 2,000 year old life-sized stone figures which number 6,000. My next stop will be Chengdu which is located in the Sichuan provcince. Those who enjoy spicy American-Chinese food dishes, may know this name better as Szechuan...ummm. I've read that a popular saying in China is "do not visit Sichuan when you are young," because you'll never want to leave. The province is known for it's spicy food and diverse people and geological terrain. It encompasses a third of traditional Tibet, and contains four of China's largest rivers, whose waters rush with Himalayan snow melt towards the sea. If I can brave the mountain passes, I'll head into Tibetan villages where Madarin is a foreign tongue and gaze at the green, red, yellow, and white prayer flags that line the pathways like parisian balconies on Bourbon Street. After scorching my taste buds and reducing my oxygen intake (at 16,000 feet) I'm gonna head south to the Yunnan province, which borders Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Hearing from multiple sources that Laoatian life is peaceful and serene I figure why not hop on down. Plus, seeing that Myanmar is led by a brutal military junta and Vietnam seems too crowded and noisy, I decided that this small, communist, land-locked, "most heavily bombed country on Earth," was a place I wanted to check out. In Laos, I'm going to hang out in the north where I'll go on jungle treks and take pictures of temples built around trees. Ha!
From Laos, I'm going to head towards Beijing, I might fly, depends on how much time I spend on the way to and in Laos. On my way up I'll spend the night on a rural section of the Great Wall and wonder if any US spy satellites can see my middle finger from space. After I look for "lucy in the sky with diamonds," and enjoy a "golden slumber," I'll think about "yesterday" and realize that "tomorrow never knows."
La Paz

ps. Check out Mitch and Spratt's funky, electronic, monkey-on-a-unicycle-juggling-keyboards, duo...Lazertag at Surely Steezing

This Country is Going OFF!!!

Last night/early this morning I was awoken by the sound of thunder. It wasn't the vibrations that follow lightening bolts in the sky. It was the roar that only occurs in the waning minutes of a big time World Cup match.

Dae Han Min Gook(Fighting Korea), as they call themselves, were down a goal in the 81st minute until the overexposed(he's on every other commercial) but highly talented Park Ji-Sung tipped one over the Frenchie goalkepper to tie up the ballgame. I was instantly woken by the rattling of the building and the screams of joy that seemed to be coming from every direction. It was 5:30am.

They are freakin serious out here. On the radio in taxis all I hear are players names and "chuku"(soccer). Most bars have picked up 5x5 projection screens for the tourney. Every man, women and child can tell you the names of the players, in correct order, who touched the ball before they put one in the net. Matches dictate fashion. On gamedays the masses are dressed in red. With the human condensement of this nation the streets literally look like a sea of red. Everyone dawns the attire: shopkeepers, little kids, grandpas, Hines Ward(half-Korean), and your average English teacher. It's a fever. There is nothing that I've seen come close to this in the States. Koreans are highly proud of their unique culture which has had to fight to survive due to passed years of foreign invasion and forced assimialtion(during Japan's imperial quest of Asia in the first half of the 20th century most Koreans were forced to learn Japanese, adopt traditional Japanese cultures and customs and if disobeying these orders slaughtered without the least bit of rependence shown by the Japs). It is utterly amazing to be in a country that is absolutely obsessed with the beautiful game. No one really gave a damn about soccer here until the Koreans made it to the semifinals last cup, which was jointly held in SK and Japan. I'm so stoked that I'm here for this. It seems like one of those once in a lifetime chances that I can actually watch unfold in front of my eyes.

More notes on the Cup...I'm going for the States but they suck and I'm sure they ain't making it to the next round but it ain't impossible...I like England, Wayne Rooney's my favorite played and he's coming out like a trooper after breaking his foot 6 weeks ago...Argentina was utterly amazing in their 6-0 win over Serbia & Montenegro, it was something speical to watch...Brazil's hyped but the Aussies stuck with them pretty well, could they have Yankee-itis...Korea's going to the second round and they're gonna give some top teams a run for their money, they're a tight little squad. It's gonna be an excited next few weeks.

TRAVEL NEWS:
I made reservations for the slow boat to China. I'm leaving Incheon, South Korea on August 15th and landing in Yantai, China the following morning. Wow!

Hope all is well.
peace,
t.

6 WEEKS LATER

Well where do I start. Things are moving ridiculous quickly out here. I'm 2 months away from the completion of my year contract. I cannot believe that I've been gone that long. Stop. I always seem to talk about how much time I have left and I feel it may give the wrong impression to those of you who still take a gander at this neglected blog. It's not that I don't like it out here. I actually really love it. I love many aspects and one happens to be the food. Although the final culinary products are different from what I'm used to many of the ingredients are very familiar. The food is awesome. Let me give you a rudimentary description of most BBQ restaurants out here. You walk into one of these places and the first thing your senses intake is the aroma of sizzling pork, kimchi, onion, and mushrooms. You take off your shoes and proceed to sit down at a table. In most establishments sitting down does not involve a seat. Usually there'll be a 2x2 cushion that'll delay the on coming unfortableness that undoubtably all foreigners will experience. I make it about 5 minutes sitting American Indian style and then swing my legs out to the side. So you sit down and theres a BBQ pit set into the table. If nativeless, you order the food in survival Korean. I prefer Kalbi. It's pork ribs marinated in a teriyakish sauce. Before the meat comes the waitress (they're almost always women) brings side dishes. You're always guaranteed to get kimchi(the pickled cabbage in a red pepper sauce. It's what every, single Korean eats, they have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, no joke. I love it but there's NO WAY I'M EATING IT BEFORE NOON.) shredded green onion/shallot type things, a basket of lettuce, hot green peppers and a few dipping sauces, usually a bean paste sauce and seasame oil with salt. Almost all places serve more side dishes but they generally vary. My favorite side dish is chop-chay. It's a noodle made from sweet potatoes. The noodles aren't sweet though. Typically they are cooked with spinach, onion, and pork. These flavors are infused into the stringy goodness. I love 'em. So you munch on these dishes for a bit and while you intake these uninherited tastes you start to grill up the meat right there in the pit on your table. Some place have gas other coals. On the meat dish there are also mushies and onions. The mushroom selection out here is fantastic by the way. The abundence has sparked an intrigue of the funghi and I'm thinking about delving into some literature that may help supplant my curiousity. The meat comes in big slabs so after cooking for a bit, the initiator grabs the meet with tongs and cuts it up with scissors. That's right good-old-fashioned-in-the-kitchen-drawer-used-mainly-to-cut-up-construction-paper-for-a-class-project-when-you-were-in-5th-grade scissors. For another few minutes you let the meat molecules transform and you premediate your plan of attack. You have to prepare because when you eat the meat you generally put it in a leaf of lettuce and add other ingredients. Garlic, shredded onion, sauces, kimchi, etc. You must make sure that the ingredients are replenished from the pre-game warm-up. The last piece of meat is flipped and it's go time. Grab a piece of lettuce put it in you left hand. With your right hand(strong hand) use chop sticks to pick up a piece of pork that is usually equal in volume to a 50 cent piece. Dip the pork in one of the sauces and place it on the lettuce. Pick up some of the onion and/or the mushroom grilling, add some kimchi, shredded onion, and any other ingredient at your disposal. But never, ever add the chop-chay to the lettuce, chop-chay is meant to be ate solely by itself and itself alone. Once all ingrediants are on your purpleish leaf of romain lettuce fold it like you would a burrito and stuff it all into your mouth. Unlike Koreans chew with you mouth closed and wash it down with water...unless you're with a Korean and then it's Soju. Harsh. I felt the burn just writing that word...

It Ain't Over Yet

Well it's been a rainy one for the last couple days and the weather report predicts it'll continue. I like the rain, or maybe its I prefer a change in the weather. Come to think of it, I just like change...sort of.
Work's flying by, the hours are like time-lasped blooming flowers in a nature documentary; beautiful but that much quicker to loosing their petals. Smooth days at work are great, but I know that my time will be up soon. Although I'm looking forward to my trip, I can't help but feel a bit of sadness knowing that soon I'll be leaving my friends, students and Korean life, all things that I've grown to love. It's a tough thing to get used to; knowing time is limited, knowing many of the people you spend time with you'll probably never see again. But as in the words of the late George Harrison and countless other enlighteneds, "all things must pass." The great thing about noticing the ticking hands of the clock is that I appreciate, value, acccept, borderline glorify the moments while they happen. Nostalgia's kicked in and I'm thankful. I'm not gonna except "you don't know what you've got till it's gone." I know what I got, I know what I want and I know what I won't have in about 3 1/2 months. Call it sentimental, call it fatalistic, call it whatever you wanna, but I'm gonna call it recognition.
Love you all,
Tyler James

"This is Billy and Brian, they're brothers. The little one with the long hair is John, Chloe's brother. Meet Benjamin's dad, he speaks good English(English well)."
"Hi nice to meet you...(small talk)."
Regina, my boss, continues, "The big one overthere is Kevin."
"The one running around, screaming 'I'm a monkey, I'm a monkey'?"
"Yeah. He's 7 years old but he'll be joining the Pisces class."
I feel a finger probing my ass crack and I spin around. There's little Daniel giggling, and speaking Korean gibberish. How do I know it's gibberish, because I ask the Koreans to translate and I'll I get is a shrug of the shoulders and a 'I don't know.' Daniel's a cute kid, he sports the only rat-tail I've seen in Korea and sometimes rocks a leather beret. Steeze for a four or forty year old.
"Have you met Phillip?"
"Is he the one that's been crying endlessly?"
"No that's Tony, Phillip is the one with the trains."
"Oh Yeah, I know Phillip." How couldn't I. The whole time at orientation he walked around with his toy cars and trains. I don't think he actually cares for the trains much. He just likes knowing that you know he's got trains.
"Who's that little guy?" I ask, gestering towards the back of a 3-footer whose in amazament of the colorful gadgets that remind me of toys I used to play with at the doctor's office as a child.
"Nick."
I thought to myself, it's nice to see at least one chiller.
We just got a new hoard of youngins. They're in the morning kindergarten classes. That pushes the total up to 18. Great for the business but an extra weight upon my shoulders. I'm now working from 9:30-6:30 and nearly teaching all the way through. It's quite a load. Let's just say I've been valuing my weekends like never before. Fortunently, my income will rise significantly this month, which means I'll be able to buy many half-full glasses.
A lot of these kids are young. I mean 3 or 4 American age(In Korea they use the Lunar New Year calender and when a child is born they already are a year old. One tacks on a year not on their birthday but at the start of a new year. Currently I'm 26.) I like all my kids and the young ones do the darndest things, from accidently falling out of their seats to giving you a kiss on the cheek when you least expect it. And although I love them, I'm making a statement now that I will live by for the rest of my life: I will never,ever work with small children for an extended period of time again. It's too draining.(period!) All you parents out there, I respect and partially understand everything, the sacrificies, the temper, the love and the frustration, it takes to raise a small child. Hats off to you. I'm years away.
The large influx of pre-schoolers threw me somewhat of kilter. But, I've regained my balance. My energy level is up, I'm teaching well, I can feel it. Students are learning, listening, and laughing. All the signs a teacher needs to know class is an enjoyable and productive environment. From counting your fingers to global warming, I'm covering the spectrum and enjoying it.
Outside work? Still reading a lot. Just finished an awesome travel book, "A Fortune Teller Told Me." An Italian internatioal journalist sees a fortune teller in 1976 that tells him not to fly in 1993. The Ital heeds the advice and travels Asia by train, boat, rickshaw, foot, and transidentalism. Now I'm working on a classic: "Adventures of Huck Finn." Awesome book. I'm on the wagon for the month of March. For a number of reasons: 1) I was tired of feeling like shit on Saturday morning. Bars, liquor stores and restaurants don't close out here. Weekend nights rarely end early. 2) I want to use the weekends to reenergize. Like I said the weeks can be draining, and I felt like my battery wasn't be recharged during the weekend. Quite the contrary. 3) My health. I may be young, but I'm not eager to grow old fast. 4)$$$. A trip on the horizon that will take me across two continents, 11 time zones, and a dozen countries. You think I'm gonna spend my money on shitty beer in Korean and be frugal in Prague. Yeah, right.

I don't know if anyone will read this anymore, I've been lazy, tired and sick, and haven't gotten a post out in some time. If no one is besides my folks that's alright. I like practicing my writing.
Peace and love from 350 miles south of the most militarized border in the world. Good Night and Good Luck.

beep, beep, beep...beep, beep, beep. My eyelids slowly retract. I feel a wet spot at the area where my ajar mouth meets the pillow. Although my brain and body are moving at a pace similar to that of a freightened turtle slowly reamerging from its shell, I delay not when silencing the alarm clock. These necessary devices may be the most annoying things on Earth. It's a sad day when you hear the wakening wail of a slumber slayer more than the cherping of birds. It's a sure sign that your working too much. Upon rolling over I'm partially blinded by the hyperlucid sunlight piercing through my maroon blinds. It's time to get up. I glance up at the clock hanging above a photo of my family. My grandma is center, with me and my bro at each of her sides and my mom and dad on the edges. Co's in his graduation gown. Good times. The clock reads 9:15. Feeling a full bladder pressing the issue I get up and walk towards the bathroom. I open the door to my room and head into the bathroom. Now in between my room and the bathroom is the "shoe area." I'm sure there is some official name for it but basically its where you take off your shoes when you walk into a restaurant, place of residence or various businesses, including my work. At my apartment this area tends to take the brunt of a cold night. The chill is able to penetrate the front door of my aptartment. I believe it seeps through the crack under my door, or may pierce through the wooden molecules that comprise the door. At times, the cold feels like a dagger, that is so sharp it inserts itself into the keyhole and emanates it frosty figure upon the desolete void that is the "shoe room." Thankfully, my room door is the mote to winters onslaught. More thankfully the morning temperature on Monday was mild and bearable in just boxers. After losing 2 lbs. in liquid weight I hop in the shower. Well is it a shower? Theres no basin, just a hole in the ground. There's no barrier seperating the runoff of water from the toilet, trash, or sink. In fact I turn on the shower from the sink. I push up the handle and adjust it till the temperature is just right and then I turn a nob on the facet that directs the water through a hose which connects to a shower head. 2 seconds later the water flows from the shower touching my skin at a point approximately 6 inches below the top of my skull. I'm not sure if water pressure exists out here and pulling the thumb-over-the-water-source-trick like you watering the yard, doesn't work in a barrierless bathroom. Water sprays everywhere but your lathered armpit. So anyway, I'm taking this shower and everything is going well. I'm shampooing the scalp and waking up. Then just I as I go to rinse out the chemicals in my mop, the water temperature drops to luke warm. Shit! I bite the bullet, rinse, lather, rinse, rinse, scrub, rinse. Then the water gets cold, really cold! I get the last bubbles of me, turn off the water, at the sink of course, and grab my towel. I'm freezing. I'm not quite sure if I'm using the towel dry off or as a blanket to keep warm. I think it was the latter because walking back into my room I notice a trail of water I've left across my floor. Hansel and Gretelish, but this is not a tool to find my way back, its a warning to stay away from the sub-arctic chamber. I put on clothes and water on the stove(which is portable and takes canisters that I believe are propane. It's pretty cool if you wanna cook food down at the beach in the summer). I start to make my daily breakfast. Two pieces of really good wheat bread with chunks of walnut incased, layered with chunky peanut butter and topped with honey. The water's finished boiling and I add a tea bag of Earl Grey, milk and a sugar cube. I sit and start alternating between bites of toast and sips of tea. I'm forgetting something...uhhh....BBC News. I get up and turn on the tube(I think my remotes with Osama). I sit back down and start fixating my mind on the millions of colored pixels and sound waves radiating from the speakers. "The divide between the West and Islam is growing wider over cartoon row." News footage. Clinched fists, burning flags, chanting, airborn rocks raining down on Embassy's... Over drawings??? I think when did things get this way? I mean everything. Priests molesting, little girls abucted, fury over drawings, lies about wars. When did lying about a blow job become a greater sin than using lies to persuade a nation to go to war? Where do we go from here? Can I, do I want to, should I, will I, raise kids in a world like this. Will things get better? After having these thoughts and watching a few Brits tell me of genocide, hunting accidents and Michelle Kwan pulling out of the Olympics I decide to turn of "the box", pick up my book and read a few pages. I'm reading "a Million Little Pieces" by James Frey. It's the book Oprah is shitting pink twinkies over. Bull shit or not I find it to be a most impressive book and I would recommend it to anyone over the age of 13 and not my grandmother. Pick it up if you have a chance. After reading for about a half hour it's time to get ready for work. Deodorant, vitamin, feed my hamster, fish and water my plant, clean my clothes off the floor, wash a few dishes, brush my teeth and shave. It's go time. 10:40am. As I walk out the front door and I am expecting a slight chill. I expected the worse, and I was quite surprised. It was warm. It may not be official yet but I think today was the start of Spring. I could care less if that rodent saw his shadow...out here there ain't any groundhogs.

6 Months Down, 6 To Go

Well these may have been the fastest 6 months of my life. I guess it's hard to be a judge of that when you include being a baby and toddler, so I'll say it's been the fastest 6 months post age 3. It's seems like just yesterday that I missed a flight scheduled to take me across a dateline, an ocean, and plop me in a land that can alter minds and senses like a certain fungus has been known to do. Fortunently, I caught a flight the next day, landed in Incheon aiport via Tokyo, and stepped into a reality that to this day I find very difficult to understand, grasp, and occasionally, live. Korea is a great country. The people may stare at you constantly and I've unnessarily wiped my nose many times just to be safe, the food may be monatonous, the roads, slopes and supermarkets lawless. They don't watch football, they teach their kids to hate the Japanese, they're technically at war and they don't wear deodorant. Yet there's a kindness to the country. Sure it smells, there's trash outside all the time, and on Saturday and Sunday the sidewalks are littered with vomit still potent from the previous night's/early morning's Soju fest. But you know what? These people are warm. If they ask you to hang out, they'll pay for your activities all night and constantly make sure you're enjoying yourself. If you look cold they'll make you coffee. If you're good to their kids they'll surprise you with a cake on your birthday. Shit, other than the U.S., I'd like to know another country that has both a professional basketball and baseball league. Yeah, they're about as nationalistic as they come(ie the Canadians) but who wouldn't be if they had been invaded by various neighbors constantly throughout their history. Sure they're whole confucist society thing is pretty geeked but it instills manners, and I know a few of you out there could use an installment. They can't make a sandwich worth a shit, but they make faboulous soups. It's the most wired country on Earth, post-Katrina it donated an exurbinate amount of money to the Gulf Coast, it wants to reconcile with the North(to the dismay of the US), it has some of the best doctors, scientists and gadget-inventors in the world. Grandmothers can buy cheap prescription drugs, eyeglasses and cigarettes. There's an eccletic variety of fruits and vegetables, pork is cheap, fish is a plenty(unfortunently mackeral is a staple in many dishes, so that goes to show something about there palets).
I've made some great Korean friends. I don't even like inserting the Korean in there. They're just great friends. They weather's horrible in the summer and bad in the winter but the scenery is beautiful and fall was nice, to my dismay it only lasted a month. Anyway I can't be a spoiled brat when it comes to weather. Not everyone is born and raised in SB...quit you're sneeveling girly man. Yeosu is mixed with country side and high rise apartments. Leather faced old men hasten cows pulling straw filled wooden carts with the cracking of a whip, as cars fly by playing the lastest Kanye West single.
They value family. They push their kids to the limits, not because they're narratic, but because the want them to have a better life than themselves. Although I disagree with their methodology(study, study, eat rice, study) who am I to say how one can raise their children. Grandparents are treated as living dieties, thosed passed are revered and buried beneath intricate headstones large enough to be mistaken as replicas of Stonehenge, Ok that was an exaggeration, but they're big.
The girls are beautiful. My students are adorable and smart. The cost of living is low. I'm reading Korean and able to get by speaking. I'M LIVING IN FREAKIN' ASIA! It took some adjusting and I'm still adapting but I have zero regrets coming out here. So far it's been a faboulous experience. I'm completely, 100% certain that I made a great decicion. Hold on...just had to give myself a pat on the back:)
Peace and Love To All,
Tyler James
ps. Happy Lunar New Year.

Keep on Rockin...

Another Monday gone and a Tuesday on the horizon. This last weekend was swell. Friday I had a field trip with my school. We took the youngins to a "sledding resort." They, as well as myself, had a blast. I'd put a four year old on my lap and we'd haul ass down the hill. I'd try and start us with a little spin so we'd be doing 360s the whole way down. There was a ton of other kids there from other schools and I happened to be the only white person. Sometimes being the minority is such a trip. For example I was sittin inside the cafeteria eating lunch next to a floor to ceiling window and these kids would come up and practically push their faces against the window and just stare. You'd think I was an animal at the zoo. I'm surprised they didn't try to pet me. Korean kids always say hello whenever you're walking down the street. I know it's a nice jesture but usually when you respond with a "hello" they run away giggling. I've come up with a solution. The preemptive hello. (We Americans love preemption) Any random kid may get one. It throws them off guard, but the way I look at it I'm only playing by their rules. What an interesting place.
Saturday was also a very enjoyable day. My buds, their female Korean co-teachers and I went to Muju ski resort and tore it up. Brad and I snowboarded and Kenny and Mike skiied, well at least they said they did (that's another story that I don't even wanna get into). Although all the snow was man-made there were some really nice runs. I love that free feeling you get when carving down a nice wide slope. It's like nothing else exists, no work, no responsibilities. Just you, the snow and gravity. Snowboarding is one of the cooler things on Earth. We stayed out there Saturday night, ate a tasty homemade Korean meal, and drank some below average Korean beer. I felt good the next morning and was certainly eager to ride again. But seeing that this is the South and not their Stalinist brother in the North, democracy was inacted. I was out voted 4-2 with two abstinations. No prob, I'm thinking about going up in 3 weeks with a crew of foreigners. The cool thing is the mountain is open till 10pm, so you can leave here in the early morning, get up there in three hours and snowboard all afternoon and night(they take an hour and a half intermission from 5-6:30. The slopes get groomed, and the lights and buzzes get turned on. I slept during the break).
Speaking of sleep, it's undoubtedly one of my favorite things to do. It is also something I most certainly underappreciate. I get home from work tired and may take a nap but rarely do I fall asleep before midnight. I know your wondering what could I possibly be doing? Honestly I don't know. Drinking tea, watching TV, reading a book, transfixed to the internet like a serpent lover admiring Modussa's beauty, I really don't know. I'm gonna make it a point to fall asleep during the 11 o'clock hour at least once a week. Then I'm gonna push it up to twice a week. Even if I get the same amount of sleep it's still nice to wake up in the morning drink a cup or 3 of coffee, and have sometime to clean, make breakfast, read the news or a book, and relax. You know what? It's 11:45 right now, I have my teeth brushed and my eyelids eager to drop the curtain. I'm signing off. I hope everyone is well and is still checking in with the blog from time to time.
Oh yeah a few more things. (This is o why I go to bed so late, whatever) Kobe scored 81 points? Oh my god. I can't stand the guy but wow. Seahawks vs. the Steelers. I wanna see Cowher, Hines and Bettis get rings. The exchange rate is killer for me right now, pretty stoked. I've got a three day weekend coming up and a Japanese girl I met on my trip is coming to visit. Should be fun. My bro is turning 21 on February 14th. Uhhh Fro! I'll be there in spirit when your drinking your spirits. Take pics sonny.
Love you all,
Tye

One For Ray

Two Saturday's ago one of my students' dad passed away. The 11 year old boy, Ray, is easy going, funny and a true ladies man. He can flirt with the best of 'em. Today was his first day back to school. He definitely was down but he's a strong kid. I would've loved to listen to him if he needed to talk but I feel like coming to school is a wonderful distraction from the saddening fact that he will never walk through his front door and see his dad reading the paper or cooking dinner, or share a laugh with him over an inside joke that mom wouldn't approve of. The boy will never be able to cheers his dad, his father won't see him get married, heck, Ray will never introduce a girlfriend. Ray won't have his dad to put him in his place when talking back to his mother or coming home with a poor report card (not that I think Ray will have one, he's a really smart kid.)
The death of a parent is hard for any son or daughter, no matter the age. Not that I have felt that pain personally but I've seen the sorrow on other's faces. I truly cannot fathom the agony this boy must feel. I wonder if he realizes that his father is forever gone. Only one week after the fact, at such a young age, how could he? It makes me sad. But I'm gonna help this boy as much as possible. In class I'll teach him well and keep him in check when he goofs off. If he needs to talk, I'll lesson. If he needs to cry, I'll be there and try to keep my eyes dry. This is a thing I've come to realize about teaching. It's not only about memorizing irregulars verbs and prononcing 'glacier' correctly. You have to be a role model, friend, and mentor. I'm a male parental figure (as much one can be for 25 to 45 minutes a day) for many of these kids. And I plan on stepping it up with/for Ray. You have to pass on the things you've learned throughout your life to the younger one's. That's what I plan on doing.
These kids can teach you a lot also, albeit sometimes completely unintentionally. They teach you about yourself, about culture, about family, about caring for others, about parental and societal pressures, about the beauty of life and procreation, about the innocence and mischiviousness of humans, about love, and, sadly, about death.
It'll take time but Ray's gonna be OK...I'm gonna try my hardest to see to it.

"Oh the Streets of Rome are Filled with Rubble"

Well, well, well. Look at what the cat dragged in. A new year. 2006. I wonder what this year will bring. Love, adventure, relaxation. I'm aiming for all three. That's my New Years resolution, "love, adventure, relaxation."
When I say love I don't necessarily mean finding a serious girlfriend. My thought of love encompasses many things; caring about your friends and enemies, thinking of others, not necessarily before yourself but along with yourself. I wanna love what I'm doing, put my mind and heart in to what I believe. Passion, that's what I'm aiming for. I want to be passionate in/for/because of life. Honestly, right now I feel like I'm accomplishing this to an extent. It's not something that I'm trying to develop purposely, it's more of who I've become over the years. Thanks in part to all of those who have influenced me in one way or another.
Adventure. Well, that's a given. After getting a shot of travellers adreniline when in Japan, I'm ready to see what this world has to offer and what I can offer in return. Europe, Southeast Asia, and India are all calling my name. The Middle East and Cuba are always in the back of my mind too. I'm happy I got this bug at a young age. I'm gonna travel so much in my life, I know it. Thai jungles, Romanian castles, ice melt from the Himalayas. Wow!
Relaxation. It's being accomplished right now. A cold one, the headphones on, and writing. All I need is a massage, a manicure and a facial and I'm complete. By no means when I write of relaxation do I mean laziness, although sometimes laying in bed all day encompasses both. What I mean is working hard and then relaxing. I believe in order to truly relax you have to be in situations that can be stressful and that are generally obligatory. If you just sit around all day and claim you are relaxing I'm calling you a deadbeat.
I think 2006 is gonna be an awesome year. The Niners are gonna win 6 games, family and friends are gonna stay healthy, the Kurds are going to acquire statehood, Co's turning 21, Stallone is coming out with not only a new Rocky but also, possibly, anoher Rambo. Arnold and Bush are gonna continue to suck and my shares of Sirius are gonna hit $12(I actually read this projection today...cha-ching). Raise your glasses and lets toast to another year on this marvelous planet.
peace and love,
Tyler James
ps. Sorry about the inconsistancy of my posts. I just don't have much to say.