Part two of South East Asia vacation: Malaysia

My Malaysian adventure started off with a felling of foreboding as I could tell I was getting a cold my last day in Vietnam.  Luckily, the trip from HCMC to Kuala Lumpur was a brief two hour flight.  Cory enjoyed the abundant selection of on-flight movies which our international flight provided us while I enjoyed reading about Robert Kennedy’s 1968 Presidential campaign.  For being my first time riding on a small country airline provider I was very impressed with the service and whole experience.  In the future, I think I will be more confident riding on small nation airlines in order to find cheaper booking fees. 

After landing in Kuala Lumpur’s International Airport it did not take a very long time for me to realize that this place was extremely modern.  Cory and I traveled to our international check-in by riding an electronic monorail inside the airport.  In China, very few airports have this electronic monorail system installed today.  Instead, passengers are sometimes forced to walk long distances from check-in to terminal departure gates and from landing gates to baggage claim exits.  After clearing security and getting our luggage we commenced our journey to Kuala Lumpur (K.L.) by airport taxi.  In my travels I have encountered how greedy the independent taxi drivers can be in regards to charging exorbitant prices to foreign tourists.  It did not take us a long time to discover that people drove on the opposite sides of the roads as in England.  This confusing system made me think back to some of the stories my parents told me growing up about driving in England.

 The drive to K.L. was plush with vegetation of beautiful radiance as the sun shone down upon the earth.  Cory and I greatly enjoyed the resplendent feel of sun on our skin due to our lack of sun in Rongchang, China.  Since the end of October Rongchang has maybe been sunny maybe thirty times.  It was a nice change being able to pass the hour drive to our hostel in a relaxed state as our taxi driver was able to speak English.  While researching Malaysia on the internet I discovered that English, Chinese, and Malay were the most commonly spoken languages in the country.  It was this incredible great fortunate of being able to easily communicate which allowed our travel to be hassle free.

The drive also evinced a thought of concern in me as I saw what looked to be crops of manufactured tree farms across the land.  The trees clearly all resembled each other which made me think right away that something was a little strange.  It later occurred to me to ask one of our tour guides who confirmed my worst fears.   The demand for coconut oil among other resources has created a need to construct artificial forests in order to maintain the supply.  Clearly, the natural wildlife has been hurt by these mass tree concentrations which have worked to meet the world’s demand for coconut oil.  Without natural speciation, the environment of many third world countries has been marginalized in order to meet consumer demands for such products.

Cory and I unpacked our gear at our youth hostel and embarked on a half day’s worth of travel.  I quickly became a little concerned as the weather was extremely hot and I felt that I almost suffered from heat exhaustion a couple times in Vietnam.  This cause for concern returned to me the realization that I really needed to drink plenty of water.  That afternoon Cory and I would walk several city blocks encountering different parts of the local culture.

Our first stop this afternoon was going to be the National Mosque which was a half mile away from our hostel.  On our way to visit the National Mosque Cory and I saw an artistic building which we soon discovered had been converted into a train station.  The train station building held a decidedly Arabic design with minarets rising alongside the building.  When we reached the National Mosque we discovered that it was closed which forced us to be only able to snap a few photos outside.  Next, Cory and I walked to Independence square which held some of the British and Dutch architecture present at the time of Malaysian Independence.  This massive square also held a large green field which people were using as a place for recreation.  The last major sight for the day was the Jamek Mosque which was beautifully designed with a Middle Eastern style.  For dinner we settled on some Chinese food which seemed very near to home for us.  The food was from a different region of China altogether which made it taste unique for our local Chongqing food though.

The next morning, I already was feeling the affect’s of the cold as I soon developed a stuffy nose and cough.  I had pre-warned Cory that I might need to rest that day as I was feeling under the weather.  Luckily, I slept well into the morning and was able to feel virile enough to take a tour bus of the city with Cory.  The rest of the day we spent visiting some of the city’s cultural and historical highlights.  I enjoyed the way the tour bus system operated as it allowed for people to chose where they wanted to stop.  A continuous amount of buses toured specific city landmarks stopping every half an hour from nine a.m. to eight p.m. which allowed tourists to spend as much or as little time at a destination.  Tourists therefore enjoyed the ability to decide which stops will best fit their appetite and which ones they will skip along the way.

The highlight of the hop-on-hop-off tour was being able to see so much of the city without having to spend a lot of time getting there.  Cory and I stopped at the old king’s mansion, K.L. gardens, freedom monument, arts center, and the Petronas Towers.  I was feeling pretty good this evening which afforded Cory and I the opportunity to try out some of the local Malay food.  Unfortunately, the cards were stacked against us as we determined that the process for eating seemed strange to us and most people could only speak Malay.  A little dejected, Cory and I returned back to our hostel thinking of another way to try some delicious local food.  One of the things that we kept hearing from foreign travelers was how wonderful the local cuisine was to eat; therefore, we were resolute in our desire to try some before we returned to China. 

The next morning, Cory and I awoke early in order to catch a guided tour to the port city of Malacca.  Cory and I were both relaxed with the pace of this tour as merely one other person from Japan accompanied our tour guide.  This first tour would be one of several tours which afforded us with incredible freedom in Malaysia.  As I had come incredibly prepared for the hot weather I was a little disappointed that the sun was hidden behind the clouds this day.  Nonetheless, this cloud cover did not deter me from drinking plenty of water as I knew that my fair skin was still at risk.

Malacca was an old trader’s town with a rich history and cultural background dating back before Roman times.  Throughout the centuries Arabic, Indian, Chinese, and European settlers all influenced this local Malay population.  Each different culture left a distinct part of it which remains pivotal in the city to this day.  Dutch, English, and Portuguese Churches and forts protected this strategic port for over five-hundred years.  Before that time Chinese, Indian, and Arabic traders had controlled the waters around Malacca in an attempt to influence trading partners.  Eventually, the power of European colonial forces outmatched the Oriental peoples and created the present day settlement of Malacca. 

I found Malacca to be a microcosm of the eclectic background of people present in Malaysia.  With Malaysia diverse history it is no wonder that walking around the city you can hear English, Chinese, Hindu, Arabic, and Malay with a pretty common occurrence.  On our way back to K.L, I had a great conversation with the Japanese tourist who also could speak English.  I discovered that she has been taking conversational English lessons in Japan from an English teacher who graduated from Saint Olaf College, Minnesota.  I am always shocked when I am able to meet a person from Asia who knows someone back in Minnesota.  The world is truly an incredibly interconnected place today with a continuous amount of options available to live abroad.

               The next morning I awake feeling the worst since arriving in Malaysia; nonetheless, I knew that the day’s journey was going to be a memorable one which pushed me to sally forth.  The trip embarked from a local rendezvous point in K.L. which took us to the wildlife sanctuary about two hours from the city.  At this sanctuary Cory and I were going to have the ability to get close and personal with a host of different animals.  Naturally being a person of nature, I was most excited to be able to have an intimate connection with some of my favorite creatures such as deer, rabbits, and exotic birds.  Three girls from Mexico accompanied our tour which made this the largest guided tour Cory and I would have in Malaysia.  This personal feel appealed to Cory and I after being in large groups in Vietnam. 

               The wildlife sanctuary was deep in the Jungle which took us past some of the more rural and poor parts of Malaysia.  Here we were far away from the modern fifth avenue stores and 21^st century technology of K.L.  Seeing the vastly different lifestyles was another classic example of how each country has their own difficult creating a system which promotes advantages for the lower classes. 

               The first part of the wildlife tour included petting and feeding deer in their natural environment.  The personal feel of being able to walk into their cages and be with the animals was something that was incredibly liberating.  Very places in the United States would let you walk into the animal’s cages and be with them as visitors.  After visiting several other animals I unexpectedly encountered my next big decision in life as another snake holding opportunity awaited me!  This time I really had no reason to say no as our group only had five members in it and everyone had held the snake twice before I submitted to do it once.  All that I can remember from feeling the snake was that it was not slimy at all and extremely heavy as it was a big snake.  The pictures Cory took of me do not appropriately show the fear that I held inside even as the snake was docile in temperament.  The one resounding thought I can remember thinking was that the snake was moving and that terrified me!

               Next, our tour guide ushered us back into our van as we traveled to the Elephant sanctuary.  Out of all the things that I did in South East Asia this was going to be one of the most memorable for me as I have always dreamt of seeing wild Elephants.  After watching a local video on the effects of deforestation and commercialization of land on local Elephant populations the group headed off to visit the real animals.  I really felt great excitement for this part of the tour as we were able to feed the Elephants by hand, take a ride on their backs, and pet them.  Nothing can describe the feeling of being high above the back of an Elephant feeling the sheer power of this magical and mythical animal. 

               The trip back to K.L. was cheerful as one of the three girls from Mexico spoke almost fluent English.  She had an interesting story as she had been going to college abroad in Taiwan for two years for international business.  Talking with her invigorated in me the desire to have more new experiences as it is clear to me now that nothing compares to the joy found in truly original moments in life.

That night I went to bed early as I was feeling the effects of the cold on my constitution.  I believed that if I got a good night sleep I could defeat the cold, so the following day Cory and I decided to leave open to be determined on how I was feeling.  I always tell Cory that he is free to do whatever he would like if he finds something that I want to do unsuitable.  I find his easy-going demeanor to be a very likeable trait even if I do not posses it within myself.  I know that I sometimes go through life so fixated on meeting my own goals that I miss the opportunity to relish in the true beauty of everyday life.  I know that I can be sometimes demanding in what I expect out of others and always try my best to let them be aware that they can disregard my  machinations when they see fit.  At least, I try to be open to allow people to voice concerns when they believe that I am being demanding.  On this occasion, rest was the perfect medicine as I was happy to awake finding myself feeling better than I had hoped.

Due to my reinvigorated spirit, Cory and I started the afternoon off by stopping at the Batu Caves located on the outskirts of K.L.  This incredible Hindu monument was nestled atop two-hundred seventy-five stairs carved into the base of a mountain.  When it was built it must have been the perfect place for ancient ascetics to spend time mediating.  The stairs leading up to the cave contained a horde of wild monkeys looking to steal food from any unsuspecting tourist.  Parallel to the stairs stood a massive golden statue of the Hindu goddess of peace.  Upon reaching the top of the stairs I discovered that the natural wonders continued to astonish me in this sacred Hindu place of worship.  I entered a large limestone chamber which had been eroded away from centuries of decay and stretched at least a hundred feet from the ground to roof.  Inside stood other Hindu religious structures where some people knelt praying nearby; although, the majority of people at this time were other tourists. 

After leaving our first religious monument of the day Cory and I headed off to see the National Mosque back in K.L.  The beauty of traveling in Malaysia is that the modern systems and local knowledge of English allow for tourists to go easily about the city.  Cory and I took the train at the nearby station we had visited earlier and it took us within five minutes walking distance of the caves.  The convenience of travel enabled us to fill our day with efficient travel which is something that is much more difficult to do in China where people have trouble communicating with foreigners and large crowds inhibit efficiency.

The design of National Mosque was quite unique as it incorporated aspects of both modern and traditional Muslim elements in it.  Built in 1947, the Mosque has become the place for burial of many of Malaysia Prime Ministers and important officials.  All none Muslim visitors must take your shoes off to enter the mosque and wear a purple garb which covers your body and masks your head.  I enjoyed the architecture and design of the building while also appreciating the peaceful feeling inside.  I never thought that traveling in Muslim country could be as safe as it was in Malaysia.  I never felt any tension from local residents and believe strongly that people here have developed great tolerance for ideas.  Part of the reason for having this tolerance I believe is that Malaysia has always been a very diverse place consisting of many nationalities and religious beliefs.

After visiting the Mosque, Cory and I walked around the cities fashionable shopping districts to see if we could find a couple of DVD’s to bring back to China.  After having visited this place several times in the past few days I had become accustomed to seeing the modernity of K.L.  Literally I could find anything western in this area as they even had a Wendy’s fast food restaurant nearby.  For the past few nights we had come to this area and ate dinner outside enjoying the food and people watching.  I was able to finally eat some delicious Malay kabobs and other local food at one of these restaurants.  I also enjoyed Thai food and even indulged in eating at an Outback Steakhouse on one occasion.

I was struck by hearing the call to pray walking around the city throughout my time in K.L.  The male Arabic voice poetically beckoning his fellow Muslims to worship was a beautiful rendition of what peaceful Islam is about.  The greater Jihad is the inner struggle to defeat the myriad temptations and deficiency of one’s own flesh not the destruction of westerns.  Only Islamic religious fanatics resembling of Christians during the Crusades portray the lesser Jihad as calling Muslims to take up arms and seek out innocent women and children for murder.  Overall, I was very impressed with the hospitality of the Malay people and believe that if this is a microcosm of Islam than it is not something to be seen as a hateful religion at all.  However, I am aware that Muslim countries in the Middle East are significantly different as they are very homogenous ethnically.   The constant battles within the Middle East for national identity and religious solidarity has also propelled radical forces to forefront of terrorist strategy in an attempt to scare people into submission.  These are the subversive forces which hamper modernity and moderation in a place which for centuries was more peaceful and enlightened than Europe during the Middle Ages.

The next morning Cory and were excited to spend one last day in Malaysia soaking up the sun as we headed off to visit Port Dickson.  Port Dickson is a beach town developed recently to fit an increasing demand for western minded beach tourists.  The weather this afternoon was beautiful and allowed for Cory and I to truly relax.  As Cory greatly enjoys spending time on the beach sitting in the sun I left him to relax while I went on a run into town.  As the temperature was already in the mid eighties I did not last very long until I decided it was time to head back to check on Cory.  When I returned, Cory was enjoying a couple of beers, a nice refreshing breeze off the ocean, and the beauty of the sun shining down on him.

This calm did not last long as I find it exceedingly hard to stay sitting for long periods of time.  Cory spoke of wanting to go wind-surfing which is something that I confess I knew very little about and had never really considered doing before.  Walking down the beach we discovered a team of men ready to assist in our desire for adventure.  I quickly decided that it was best if I ran to the bathroom before taking off into the sky hundreds of feet in the air which left Cory to go first.  Looking back if I would have seen his landing I probably would not have gone for he apparently landed tumbled several times before stopping on the beach.  Listening to the directions and Cory’s advice I felt that I was more than enough up for the task even if I had technically a bad history with injuries and maladies.

The take-off went smoothly enough as I soon found myself hundreds of feet in the air high above the ocean’s waves.  I think all humans have a desire to fly like a bird in the sky if they are honest with themselves and this experience in the air was breath taking for sure.  I prayed to God and thanked him for creating such a beautiful universe full of unbelievable experiences for those who would take them.  I also thought about my Mother up in the sky.  I was wondering what she would say to me if she could see my so high in the sky.  I know that pride comes before the fall and I was about to have a rude awakening as I landed para the instructions of lead instructor.  I pulled down hard on my parachute straps but apparently did not let go soon enough before impact.  Believe me when I say that it was a mighty impact as I was barely able to get walk back from limping on my leg so badly.  The worst part of the injury was that I had an enormous raspberry alongside my hip which took the brunt of my landing.  I have always had a strong rump and was lucky on this occasion as well as it help me to cushion the blow.

The ride back to K.L. and the proceeding evening were very painful periods for me as I cycled around a lot of horrifying alternatives.  I was lucky to have Cory with me as he helped me mentally get over my un-rational fears regarding the situation.  He even went off and got dinner for me that evening at a local Burger King.  I cannot thank him enough for all of his help for me during that day of convalescence.  That evening I talked with another American foreign teacher who had been traveling for a few weeks around South East Asia.  I was struck by the incredible similarities of experiences we both had had trying to learn Chinese, speaking with locals, and over-coming difficulties.  Talking with him really made me feel better about myself and even validated a lot of the struggles I had gone through. 

I realized that the only way to improve my situation in Rongchang was by really focusing on learning Chinese again.  I had taken a couple of months off from my relentless pursuit of learning Chinese, but now I felt rejuvenated and refreshed from a few weeks outside of China.  I promised myself that I would really focus on Chinese and that would start the following day in the airport. 

That night I did not sleep well as my leg was throbbing and my skin sore from being sunburned; fortunately, it did not really matter much since we needed to get up at five a.m. in order to get to the airport in time to catch our flights.  On our way to the airport, Cory and I enjoyed a one hour conversation with a Malaysian taxi driver who was ecstatic to be able to practice his English with foreigners.  His English was phenomenal for someone who had only been speaking it for the past seven months consistently after getting a job as an airport taxi driver. 

Fortunately for me my leg had made incredible progress in less than a day’s time which signaled to me that I was going to be all right if I was able to keep my raspberry from getting infected.  That day in the airport I thought often about how fortunate I am to be able to do and see the things I have in my life.  At the age of twenty four I have been able to see more places than many people in the world period.  Most people in the world cannot afford to travel outside of their hometown, village, or city unless it is someone of the utmost necessity.  Looking back on my life I can safely say that I have been blessed to have the love and support of such great friends and family who help me to stay focused on the important things in life. 

This blog finishes my vacation this winter but does not encapsulate one of the great experiences which occurred for me this holiday.  My next blog will look into the wondrous holiday which is the Chinese New Year’s “Spring Festival”, some of the books I have been reading lately, and my continued goal of improving my oral Chinese.

Best,

E.K.                

Vietnam (part one of a three part blog)

There are so many interesting things which have occurred in the past weeks that I feel my blog is a bit over due.  Since my last blog I have traveled to Vietnam and Malaysia with Cory, experienced my first Chinese New Year, and improved my Chinese quite a bit.  The beginning of the tale veils a hidden secret and conflict in my heart which has escalated to an awakening in my soul.  Due to the increased length of the blog I decided to write it in three parts:  Vietnam, Malaysia, and Spring Festival.  I hope this will introduce more perspectives on some of the incredible things that I have witnessed, felt, and experienced in the past few weeks.    

               The trip to Vietnam started off ominously enough as Cory and I had recently amended a quarrel.  It was the first time that such a situation occurred which caused both of us some caution in the future.    Overall, it was a good chance for both of us to work on some things which do not come easy for people.  Actions are actions and words are words.  Only through positive mediation can people hope to proceed past further obstacles and move forward.  In the end, I believe that both of us are better for sharing in a difficult situation and learning from it.

               January 2^nd was our scheduled day of departure which would signal an epic day of travel.  The overall travel time from Chongqing International Airport to Ho Chi Minh (HCMC) took eighteen hours.  When we finally arrived in Ho Chi Minh City it was already passed midnight Vietnam time.  The process for getting the Vietnamese visa was easy enough as we had both previously filled out all the proper documentation.  People often disregard thought to ponder things they have not experienced before.  After going through the time-consuming and sometimes frustrating visa process into China I can safely say that this was a much easier experience for me.  This was unfortunately not the case for a Canadian woman who failed to have the proper visa documentation.  The woman, obviously jet legged from her long journey continued to have problems getting her visa processed as Cory and I filled out some last clerical things.  Afterwards, we both headed down to the luggage carousel excited to have finally arrive in Vietnam and ready to start a new adventure. 

               Getting from the airport to our hostel was easy enough after we paid the nominal fee for the twenty-minute traffic free ride into HCMC.  I soon became nervous, as the un-marked taxi driver handed our luggage and motioned vaguely as to the direction of our hostel which looked no more than a back alley.  Walking with Cory at two a.m. through a maze of alleys in obviously lost would have been a nightmare for anyone.  Luckily, we were able to locate the hostel in only a couple minutes; however, the door was barred closed which left me wondering if traveling to Vietnam was a good idea after all.  Fortunately, Cory located a door bell hidden ominously inside the steal wired hostel gate which awoke two very old and tired employees.

               The next morning, I awoke eagerly awaiting my first glimpses of HCMC in day light.  The previous morning’s trip from the airport left a very blurred image of the city as I was trying my best to remain awake from the day’s travel.  From the car, I could still tell that HCMC was a place much less-developed than the booming Chinese cities I had visited this summer with my parents.  I believed quite quickly that it may be a lot less easy getting around here than I had previously hoped.

               I am glad that first impressions do not often tell a person the whole story because what I saw greatly astonished me.  I had entered an area which I soon realized was surrounded by the greatest number of foreigners I had seen at one time since being in the United States.  I was extremely shocked to hear most of the local people speaking English easily as they attempted to sell something to any foreigner who would listen.  I happened to be such a target as I became barraged from every possible corner. 

As I was without sun glasses in the mid-eighty degree weather, and engulfed with sunshine I realized that purchasing sunglasses was a pretty good idea.  I later would discover that I paid almost double for this first purchase than I could have bargained for if I knew the territory better.  I was a first mistake that I think a lot of foreigners will make when they enter a place with a very different culture.  I vowed that it would be a learning experience and the last time I got ripped-off buy local standards.  In reality, I was able to buy the sunglasses for about four dollars U.S.D which is something that no person can complain about I think.  At the same exact time I was asked by a flock of vendors if I wanted to hop on a motorcycle, take a rickshaw, tour of the city in a van, go to the Mekong Delta, or have message.  As I concluded my purchase, I left the vendors in the nick of time as a man started trying to use a toothbrush to clean my dirty shoes with before I could usher him away. 

               However, captivating my first sale’s vendor experience was it did not distract my attention away from the streets of HCMC.  From the moment a person stepped into plan site of the streets a mass of buzzing motorcycles came to greet them.  Only the brave travelers are able to muster up the courage to cross an intersection as they try to acclimate themselves to a world without cars.  I have been to Rome before which is infamous for having the most motorcycles in Europe.  Even with this experience in Europe and living China I realized that I too felt nervous around the bikers, scooters, and motorcycles racing through the city.  I soon learned that HCMC has over five million motorcycles in the city with roughly ten million inhabitants or about one bike for every two people.

               The first day in HCMC was spent visiting different sites which Cory and I had previously researched as being cannot miss landmarks.  The first stop on the list was the Ben Than market.  It was incredibly crowded and filled with all sorts of cheap goods for sale.  Believe me, if a person wanted to get some type of cheap knock-off product in Vietnam this was the best place to do it.  Crowds of foreign tourists walked through a maze of tightly enclosed selling stalls encouraging a feeling of claustrophobia for the unaccustomed onlooker.  The market itself is canvassed by a roof which is a godsend as the sun in Vietnam is penetrating even during the winter months.  Cory and I would pass through these stalls several days buying little trinkets for friends, family, and gifts and personal mementos.

               Next we visited the perspective opening “War Remnants” museum which included weapons, armaments, and exhibits depicting the toil of the Vietnam War on the people.  I left feeling a little woozy in my stomach after seeing the effects of Agent Orange and other devastating weapons of destruction.  The size and mass of weapons used during the war by the United States troops rendered an image of incredible destruction as entire villages are still left with the physical scars of war.  The country will take much longer I believe to heal from some of the mental scars as people still in their lifetimes can easily recount the terror of seeing the damage of Agent Orange, napalm, and other weapons.

I have come to realize that war is the province of men who wish to gain something in order to improve their lot in life.  It may start from an ideal, a problem, a hate, or fear; however, in the end there is usually also an extrinsic reward that pushes men to believe that their efforts are worth risking their life.  May it be glory, power, or wealth victors easily fall victim to the spoils of war.  I have purposefully left out a female comparison as to the fact that I do not know of many female leaders who have taken to war in such an extreme manners as males have.

The difference between the magnanimous victor and the man looking for revenge is merely one personality trait; nevertheless, that characteristic may lead to drastically different results as a nation looks to rebuild in the aftermath of war.  The United States was very lucky in deed to have such incredibly moral leaders during its national infancy.  George Washington was one such man would have liked nothing better than to have retired in peace at Mount Vernon never again to rest in the spotlight.   Nonetheless, he could not refuse the nation’s call for him to lead as the first President of the United States.  His leadership helped the dream of democracy come true in earnest as a young U.S. worked hard to develop into a model nation.

 In war can a person blame one another more for their crimes?  Certainly everyone recognizes the war crimes after the fact; however, in the heat of battle those things are not at the forefront of a soldier’s mind as they try to save all that they can.  War is the ultimate gamble in morality as a person’s simple aim is destroy all life in the way.  War has echoed these effects throughout time as every nation and people have at some time felt the sting of loss as its youth going to fight and die during war.  That is why it is so important for people to learn from experience who have never experienced the devastating results of war.

After visiting harrowing reminders from the past Cory and I solemnly discussed the museum together on our way back to our hostel.  Hungry from a day’s worth of traveling Cory and I decided to eat at the first restaurant we could find that would serve us some western food.  It was surprisingly easy for us to find one such place near our hostel.  It remains interesting that Vietnam’s communist regime which tried to remove South Vietnam from western culture has opened up to as much as they have in only a few decades.   Any tourist could eat any style of meal wanted as an assortment of western, eastern, and international cuisine restaurants existed.  Cory and I relished in the fact that we were able to eat any type of food that was not Chinese as we had both been without much variety for many months.  Over the next three days in HCMC, I discovered that my favorite traditional Vietnamese food was the spring rolls.  The taste of this dish was complemented by a hot sauce which combined to make a wonderful and flavorful appetizer.

The next day started early as we prepared for our trip to visit the Chu Chi tunnel network nearby HCMC.  Our four dollar tickets included entrance to the tunnel exhibit, bus ride, English tour guide, and a taste of the local food.  I can say it was safely the best four dollars I have ever spent in my life.  Towards the end of the tour I took the opportunity to fire a real M16 assault rifle which was pretty intense.  The noise around me was so loud that I could barely hear for a while after leaving the public firing range.  Cory and I also decided to climb through the tunnels which were so small that any person needed to literally walk squatting to use them.

I was extremely impressed with the tour and believe that I learned quite a lot about the ingenuity of the Vietcong.  I can honestly say that no number of soldiers, bombs, or technology could have destroyed the Vietcong.  The will to defeat the enemy was extreme as the tunnel network was over ninety miles long.  These tunnels were built over several decades as the Vietcong first fought for liberation from French colonialism.  The Chu Chi network had entrances in HCMC, an American military base, and the Mekong River.  If anyone thinks that the United States did not try hard enough to beat the Vietcong than I would ask them to come to the tunnels and see the thousands of bomb craters remaining in the jungle. 

The Vietcong built three levels of tunnels which they lived, organized, and planned in.  The B-52 bombers were able to drop bombs large enough that would destroy the first level of the underground tunnels.  Nevertheless, the second and third levels easily remained intact as some tunnels would reach depths nearly sixty ft. below the surface of the ground.  The Vietcong were also cautious and would not leave their tunnels for months at times in order to not be discovered by U.S. patrols.  They developed an air filtration system which confused the U.S. patrols by placing their entrances near inconspicuous ant and snake holes.  After a few years, the U.S. tried to flood the tunnels with water which did nothing as the downward sloping angle flowed the water harmlessly into rivers and streams.

I definitely felt strange in a place where so many of the local people held differing levels of resentment towards Americans.  It was an unassuming feeling of contempt which I could feel directed towards me.  Contempt was only shown through mostly non-verbal actions which I believe to be special in many Asian cultures.  Much of the people’s grief from the past has been stored away deep in their hearts and left to be legacies of grief.  I felt some of their contempt, sadness, and grief mostly in the way some people stared at me.  It is a little different feeling than I get when people stare at me in China.  Knowing that Americans caused so much pain for many people affected me in different ways while in Vietnam.  I know that I am not responsible for what happened to them but I too believe that as an American I hold a higher moral code for in order to spread good values throughout the world.  Unfortunately, mostly negative values were spread to the Vietnamese people during the war.

The next day, Cory and I were up and excited to experience the Mekong River delta guided tour package costing seven U.S. dollars.  The tour started off well as we meet up with other tour groups and headed off to the delta.  When going to the Mekong River delta it is important to plan ahead by bringing necessary supplies, medication, and lots of water. Cory and I both came prepared with proper medication to prevent the contraction of malaria.  Still, I was glad that my mom had sent me with some extra-strong mosquito repellent which would hopefully scare away any extra bugs.

When our tour bus finally arrived at our final destination I was happy to be able to be able to relieve myself in the restroom.  Before going to the delta I discovered that it was going to extremely hot that day and I did not want to take any chances with heat exhaustion.  Consequently, I drank a lot of water and came well hydrated in order to try and prevent heat exhaustion.  After suffering a couple spells of heat exhaustion last summer I was especially careful the entire trip to make sure I was drinking enough water.  Due to the unhealthy sanitary conditions I used mostly bottled drinking water throughout the trip.

Our tour would begin with a boat ride across the delta to an island village.  I was struck by the fact that this was the first time that I had been on a boat ride since the summer of 2010 in Minnesota.  Being in Chongqing last summer did not allow for me to enjoy a nice cool summer on the shores of Big Trout Lake.  With this knowledge in the back of my head I used the experience to really help me remember the beauty of a slow boat ride across an open expanse of water. 

Our first island stopping point enabled people to watch a local industry produce hand-made candies.  Cory and I both enjoyed the fresh delicacies and purchased some of the local flavor as our tour guide explained the inner workings of the candy processing.  The processing and distribution center resembled a shack with a roof were people worked under in order to escape the sun.     

Next our tour group had the opportunity to hold a python snake.  I balked at this chance as I have always had a visceral dislike of snakes.  Instead, I snapped some pictures of Cory holding the snake seemingly indifferent and enjoying the experience.  The snake itself was quite mild as it allowed his handler to put its face in the man’s mouth even.  In reality, I am sure that everything would have been fine.  In my mind, I had not come prepared to do this thing and had not yet overcome my fear of snakes at this time.  Little did I know that I would soon have another opportunity to hold a live snake in only a couple of days.

Our tour next took us on a horse drawn cart ride to a next village down the road.  It was the first time that I had been on a horse for many years and enjoyed the ride immensely.  At the end of the town we boarded a next boat that took us to our lunch destination for the day.  At this island we enjoyed some of the local food and watched Vietnamese children on vacation tease alligators in a fenced in enclosure.  The children seemed very curious of the foreign tour groups but did not stop to interrupt their daily natural teasing and antics.  Some groups walked nearby starring at people but overall they were less enamored with us than the Chinese children I have encountered in Rongchang.

After lunch we boarded our boat and moved on to a new island were we tasted some local honey and rice wine.  Afterwards, we took a scenic hand-rowed water raft ride through a small jungle inlet in the island.  This was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip as we rowed silently through the jungle surrounded by palm trees and elephant grass.  I was struck by how quite it could be in the jungle even with some many people very nearby. 

We disembarked our raft and headed towards another small village where special traditional Vietnamese performances were held for tourists.  Local women and men dressed in formal traditional attire performed beautiful Vietnamese music.  The high shrilled voices and multi tonal Vietnamese language created a sound that was both mystical and foreign for me.  I enjoyed the couple performances and felt that it was extremely interesting even though I would not enjoy listening to that type of music all day long.

The performances were the last part of the delta tour package which left Cory and I extremely pleased with the day’s adventure.  That night we would get back and enjoy some of the HCMC nightlife.  Cory and I were both surprised at the extreme amount of foreign catering that HCMC had to offer.  Beer from all around the world was available at cheap HCMC prices as well as liquor.  If the alcohol had variety so did the people because Cory and I would drink with people from Sweden, Australia, Russia, Ireland, New Zealand, Holland, and England.  It was certainly this most eclectic group of foreigners I had even met in such a short period of time in my life.

The next day Cory and I would spend making some last minute purchases in order to get some nice and cheap gifts for friends and family.  Saying goodbye to HCMC was going to be tough for me as it definitely was one of the most interesting places I had ever been in my lifetime.  Cory felt similarly as we both wondered how Malaysia would compare to our first portion of the trip.

Walking around HCMC, I was surprised to see that certain places in the city seemed eerily similar to China’s modernized cities.  I cannot help to wonder what is happening to the poor of these modernizing places of the world.  Driving along the road to the Chu Chi tunnels and the Mekong River delta illustrates pictures of extreme poverty as most people make a living as day laborers harvesting rice.  I was surprised to learn on the trip that Vietnam was the world’s second largest producer of rice in the world.  Likewise, an agrarian lifestyle has been a staple of Vietnamese society for centuries making farmers and integral part of their society.  With this knowledge in mind, I felt a little out of place walking down streets with fashion designer apparel from across the Europe and the United States.  HCMC is a city in great change as it becomes more and more modernized in a western fashion.

The next morning Cory and I packed up our luggage and boarded a plane headed for Malaysia.  Both excited and a little sad to leave Vietnam, I looked forward to the next leg in an incredible journey.  I was unfortunately noticing the tell tale signs of a cold catching up to me.  Two nights in a row of drinking was catching up to me as my body was struggling to try and adjust to the incredible change of weather from Chongqing in the winter.  The fifty degree weather change and stop-until you drop trip planning was starting to take a little toil on my body.  It also was not going to help that I was going to be in an airplane which is like a germ-incubation factory.

End Part One      

   

Ending of fall semester, Christmas, and more!

The recent happenings in my life have reaffirmed my belief that it is important to remain true to your moral values even when times get tough in life.  Often times, I believe that it is not a single event which can elicit a response which goes against your moral fiber.  I also believe that in most situations people would decide not to react in a morally objectionable way if they were given the chance to think their action’s through.  Rather, I feel that the daily grind of life corrosively wears away a person’s beliefs at which point they become weak to any number of moral depravities.  As I have come to understand the way my mind functions I believe that sometimes I over analyze a situation to my own demise.  The danger lies in putting a value statement on morals in comparison to other factors which ultimately decide an outcome.  A+B does not always = C, and in this case because morals are not something which should ever be calculated into a situation’s outcome.  The morals of a person should dictate the situation more than the other variables and remain resolute even when times get tough.  From thinking about my own moral dilemmas I stumbled upon the idea of a world based off of a moral code.

I often wonder about how a world based off of morality would look like.  If a person were to be judged based off of their moral fabric would the world be a better place to live in?   Problems would certainly arise as is the case with anything designed by humans.  If morality was to be the judge of a person’s position in society than a whole new list of issues would develop.  Someone or something of course would need to be the judge of this morality system.  Would the judge be a single person or an institution?  Would an appointment of religious leaders or presidents decide what was morally acceptable?   I believe that a “morality scale” would need to be created for people to be able to judge their own morality.  Thus, people would soon create a new hierarchy to measure the most successful or in this case, moral people.  Of course, some people would take advantage of the new system and others would argue that morality was too ambiguous of a manner to govern society itself.  If everyone went around doing things that their conscience told them was right than the entire foundation of society would change.  Governments, prisons, and business as they exist today might operate completely different which would anger those already in power in the current system.  In my heart I would like to think that the world would be a better place even if my head tells me that it might not be.  I think people would find a much more equalitarian world to live in; however, I too know that not everyone values moral intentions like I do.     

My frugality with spending money has caused my conscience to be quite flustered lately.  I am perpetually afraid of anything to do with money since I am really living off of a limited salary here in China.  The increased tension from not knowing how the future will work with limited funding has negatively altered my personality at times recently.  My heightened fears were exacerbated by China’s lassiez-faire manner of handling deadlines.  By not knowing that I would be going to Vietnam and Malaysia until a week and a half ago I truly had my anxiety meter on high lately.

Fortunately, an important realization came to me yesterday and some of my fears have receded since.  I can choose to be fearful of the unknown or to simply let it come at me in stride.  I want to choose the latter since I know that in either case I cannot control my fate.  No person on earth is clairvoyant, and I would never ask to have the foresight to know my own life destiny if I could.  Life is a great mystery which delivers life lessons daily.  Only after being hit by the same lesson several (or in my case) many times can we truly learn from the experiences of life itself.  If I consider all of the troubles that develop in life I will merely find myself always coming up with compelling reasons not to do anything at all.  The only true way to have worthwhile experiences is to try new things in life even if you think you “might” be making a mistake at times.   

From taking this approach at times in life I have found many things appealing to me which I never imagined before.  I know that I will never regret coming to China and experiencing all of the things which I have here.  If I merely decided to “play it safe” like I usually have in life I would have missed out in some of the greatest moments in my life.  The only piece of advice for restraint comes from my deep moral fiber.  I truly believe that all new novel experiences are wonderful except those which cause you to sacrifice your personal morals. 

I wanted to approach the question of “fear” besides the fact that it plays a great role in my own decision-making process.   The subject was brought to the forefront through a conversation I had with another American while staying in Chongqing for Christmas last weekend.  This person came from a pro peace background by citing herself as both a Vietnam and Iraq War protestor.  She also discussed the idea that “fear” in the lives of everyday Americans reached a whole new level during the presidency of George W. Bush.  Besides her clearly liberal and equalitarian background I reflected that she had some interesting points regarding the rising fear in the lives of Americans today.  Questions from; “will I have my job tomorrow”, and “where is the money to pay my bills going to come from”, to “how can I pay for my son’s/daughter’s tuition”, and “is my savings money at risk of being lost from another market meltdown” are all valued concerns today.

Some of the parallel effects of fear are that many people are unable to find time to think on their own creatively.  I find this reality a devastating blow to the ingenuity which has allowed so many cultures to admire Americans.  As many Americans seek a brief release from their endless fears the desire to be entertained increases.  People find themselves using a higher ratio of their free time watching television, movies, and surfing the internet.  I fear a society which does not spend some of their time thinking about people outside of their everyday lives.  Since people will not change in their love of entertainment and media agencies will not change in the mindless content they promote I fear a decline in America may be inevitable if the current situation is not remedied soon.

I have found that by living in China I have enjoyed more time to think on my own creatively.  This is partially a systematic difference between China and the United States due to the fact that people take afternoon naps, play cards, or often drink tea together while on the job.  The daily “xiuxi” or “rest” period lasts two and a half hours causing traffic and daily life to almost come to a standstill at times as people enjoy their free time.  The other factor lies in the working situation I have found myself in with Southwest University.   My lax schedule and teaching responsibilities allow me the ability to spend a lot of time pursuing the questions that I have pondered much of my life.  The result is that I truly have a much better idea of who I am as a person.  This reflects my longing to allow other people to have an opportunity to experience some of the groundbreaking discoveries I have had in my own life.  I know that many people do not seek this sort of reflective experience.  I can only comment on the joy which has come from my own personal journey.  That is not to say that everything has been rosy.  A lot of times people deflect many thoughts in order to help justify things in life at which they cannot control.  Other times people keep parts of them locked as far inside as they can in the hope that they will never again come back to their conscious mind.  The journey into the mind can be sometimes grim even if it is redeeming.

 The last few weeks of teaching this winter helped me to appreciate having fellow foreign English teachers in Rongchang.  The attendance level of many of my students dropped to only a few students a day.  Ali and Cory suffered from the same attendance lulls which made the decision to teach as a team an easy one.  The combined three classes’ worth of students and teachers helped everyone by reinvigorating the teachers and introducing new viewpoints for the students.  The students who continued to come enjoyed the last classes as we altogether discussed American Christmas traditions.  It helped to have three different teachers telling students about their own personal holiday traditions.  Chinese students were surprised to hear that not everyone celebrates the holidays in a similar fashion or are Christian in the United States.  Ali’s wonderful powerpoint presentation which included an unbelievable amount of information on Christmas was a big hit for our students.  Cory and I helped to add in points of interest at appropriate times as we concluded our last class.  Afterwards, students listened to a couple of Christmas songs on the computer which they found interesting and exciting for a time.

At the end of the week student were invited to a formal American Christmas celebration held by the foreign teachers.  Each teacher made sure to tell their students to come and attend the party.  In preparation for the party, Ali, Cory, and I, went to the most modern super market to buy food, drinks, supplies, and Christmas decorations.  Interestingly, Christmas is one of the only western holidays to be recognized in China.  Therefore, an ample amount of Christmas ornaments, Santa hats, and decorations were available for purchase.  Beforehand, we had permission from Mr. Tian to book two classrooms marked for studying to use as a place for hosting the party.  One room would feature a quick summary of Christmas culture in America, Christmas music, games, and refreshments.  The other room would feature the humorous movie, “Christmas Vacation” starring Chevy Chase.

The night of the party I was getting messages from unknown students looking forward to attend the event which seemed like a good sign.  At least thirty students showed up early to help in the arranging of desks, preparing of supplies, and provide general help in setting up the Christmas party.  It was a strong show of support from the student body to take time out of their busy schedules to help us prepare. 

By seven o’clock over one-hundred students were already in attendance.  Due to some technical difficulties with the computer in one room many students first started out watching the movie in the next door classroom.  Finally, the other computer was operating again which allowed us to introduce the powerpoint.  Next, we played Christmas music which the students seemed to enjoy.  The highlight of the entire night for both students and teachers was the performance of “Frosty the Snowman” by the foreign teachers.  Cory and Ali sang the lyrics to the song while I performed an “interpretive dance” as accompaniment to the singing.  Overall, it was a very entertaining experience for all involved as Ali and Cory stopped singing to laugh several times.

The night ended with Chinese students performing for a couple gifts here and there supplied by the foreign teachers.  Due the shame based culture which perpetuates Chinese culture we were unable to get any students to perform voluntarily.  Instead, a hat was passed around while listening to music until I stopped the song.  The person with the hat in their possession as the song ended was destined to perform our bow out gracefully.  The game’s aim was not based on drawing shame to students; rather, the rules were simply that a person could do as much or as little as they wanted in their performance.  Even the word performance was very loosely construed as to allow for even a magic show demonstration.  Most of the students chose to sing a few lines from an English song they knew.  The highlight for me was one of the magic performances a group of three male students performed using me as a prop. 

After the performances we decided that it was time to call it a night.  The always willing to help Chinese students assisted in all forms of cleaning up which saved us a lot of time.  Overall, the Christmas party was a great success.  The only aggravating thing was that I was asked to take so many pictures with students that my face muscles actually become sore by the end of the night. 

From discussing Christmas with some of the Chinese students I learned that many people enjoy giving apples to each other on Christmas.  The word for apple is “ping guo” which is very similar to the word for health “ping an”.  People in China have been giving apples to friends and family during the Christmas season to wish those around them good health in the upcoming year.  Otherwise, many people in China know very little about what the exact meaning of Christmas is in our culture.  I would later find that out during my Christmas trip to Chongqing that next week.

The next week was a momentous one for Cory and I as we finally got our tickets for our trip to Vietnam and Malaysia arranged and paid for.  It would take me until this week to finally pay-off my balance as I was awaiting my December pay from Southwest.  By knowing that things would finally be coming true we really spent some time hammering out the details of the trip together.  After looking up some of the things which we wanted to do together we decided on a rough itinerary.  We are planning to spend four days in Vietnam and seven days in Malaysia.  Looking at the two locations also alluded to the need to get some extra medications in order to protect ourselves from malaria.  With the help of Mr. Tian I was able to get my last Hepatitis A vaccination along with a prescription of doxycycline to prevent malaria.

A trip into Chongqing would be needed in order to get these necessary pieces of medical protection for myself.  Due to the fact that both Ali and Cory were also running low on western food and supplies they decided to accompany me into Chongqing on a day trip which would include a stop at our favorite place in China, Metro.  The Metro chain stores are similar to that of Costco or Sam’s Club in the United States.  They allowed all three of us to have a little bit of home as we were about to experience a Christmas without family and friends. 

During this trip we also accompanied Mr. Tian to help him look at several cars as he is now in the market to buy his first car since Brian, his son, is now a licensed driver.  As foreigners in the store we experienced great fanfare from the staff.  The best English speaking employee was asked to take care of us and offered us a variety of refreshments.  Afterwards, Mr. Tian invited us to a delicious feast at our favorite restaurant in Rongchang.  The trip began at one p.m. in the afternoon and lasted until we arrived home from dinner at 8:30 p.m. in the evening.  Overall, it was the first time that Cory or I had driven in a car for more than ten minutes since September; therefore, we did not mind the day’s protracted nature even as I secretly lamented missing exercising this day.

Friday the 23^rd of December, Cory and I embarked on a planned Christmas trip to Chongqing.  This trip was going to be special for several reasons.  First, it was going to be our first trip back to Chongqing on our own since September.  Second, it was going to be an opportunity for us to see our great friends, Jack and Lance.  Fortunately, Cory and I were going to be in time to say goodbye to Lance as he would soon embark on his great adventure studying abroad in California.  The last reason for me was that I really needed a change in scenery.  I still enjoy my time in Rongchang immensely; however, the lack of other foreign friends and items is disheartening at times even with my close friends here in Rongchang.

This trip was an opportunity to really experience Christmas with some interesting Chinese twists to it.  Our afternoon on the 23^rd was uneventful as Cory was still working through a bad sinus infection.  Therefore, we basically went to grab some dinner and came back to enjoy the finale to the Harry Potter saga movies.  For both of us this was a treat as my parents sent them to me with my Christmas package a few weeks ago.  Gearing up for a fun night with our friends Jack and Lance the next morning was on our minds as we slept well at the Yangtze River hostel.

Walking around the Jiefengbai area on Christmas Eve was an incredible experience for me.  The large quantity of lights and Christmas ornaments decorations throughout the district contributed to the aesthetic quality of the area nicely.  It was an extremely entertaining afternoon watching the people preparing to celebrate Christmas Eve.  I was about to learn that Chinese culture really has very little understanding of what the western meaning of Christmas is.  Many shop owners were selling large inflatable bats, devil ears, Santa hats, and an assortment of carnival snacks.  I even saw a small child carrying around cotton-candy, something which I did not believe existed in China before that time.

               While walking around together, Cory and I ran into two English teachers in Beibei we had met at the Chongqing reception in September.  It was great to be accompanied by two other Americans who both had studied at Saint John’s University.  As we talked together a sensation to be teaching and living in Beibei entered my thoughts as I pondered the incredible opportunities for me to learn Chinese there with other foreigners.  Certainly, I have been considering many alternatives in my future as has Cory.  I am impressed with my ability to learn Chinese quickly and on my own; however, I really would like to experience learning Chinese with other foreigners.  In my past, I have found that I am very good in a classroom environment and feel that I could flourish in a classroom full of enthusiastic learners.

               The evening of the 24^th of December included an interesting celebration at the stroke of midnight.  People crowded around the Jiefengbai clock tower in anticipation of the strike of the bell.  The greatest amount of angry looking riot police I have ever seen in China awaited the crowd of eager and a little inebriated large crowd of people.  Once the bell stroke midnight people went at each other with their large inflated bats.  It was an incredible sight to see so many people excited in this physical sort of manner since Chinese culture does not promote this type of contact.  With the riot police being on hand to break apart larger groups of people the night ended uneventfully for most people.

  Unfortunately, one of our Beibei colleagues was not as lucky as he reacted on a push from an unseen policeman.  This would place him at odds with the Chinese police which proceeded to escort the unlucky assailant to jail.  I am sure that this Christmas Eve will be one in which an unbelievable story will continue on the annual recalling of the event in mention!  The next morning he was released on bail and personally okay.  He even received a text message of, “Merry Christmas” from one of his police cell-guards on Christmas afternoon.

               The rest of the night went down as one of great merry-making between our group of four friends; I, Cory, Jack, and Lance.  After dinner, we went to a Chinese barbecue located very near some late night entertainment.  All in all, it was a great way to celebrate the season together and say goodbye to our great friend, Lance.

               Christmas morning was one of slow convalescence as many people in the hostel were looking to recover from the past evening’s excitement.  Christmas afternoon included recounting our adventures with other foreigners in the hostel together.  That evening Cory and I made a stop to our favorite western-style restaurant for dinner.  Cory and I always enjoy our stops at “Suzie’s Pizza”, which is one of the most sought after eateries for foreigners in Chongqing.  Suzie is always very welcoming to me whenever I come and visit her restaurant.  As a single wage-earner she embarked on a mission to start her small restaurant from within her own apartment.  Only a few years ago she would use her bed as a dinner table for guests.  As business has since flourished, she is now able to move into a second apartment to live in addition to remodeling her apartment-restaurant.     

               The crowd always includes a healthy amount of foreigners looking to spend some time together and enjoy the amazing food.  Upon entering the small restaurant, Cory and I were offered some eggnog from an American foreign teacher named Jeff.  On several occasions before I have spoken to Jeff regarding a variety of topics.  During the evening we were introduced to some of Jeff’s foreign and Chinese friends.  The restaurant featured soft background music as accompaniment to our conversations.  Overall, it was an extremely satisfying way to celebrate Christmas Day even though we were both missing family and friends back in America.  The rest of the evening was spent walking around Shapingba district together as we enjoyed our first Dairy Queen since last summer.

P.S.  Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and New Years back home in the United States!

Best,

E.K.