And that's a wrap...for now!

Well well well. What do we have here Mr. Calendar. What do you read? The 10th of who? DECEMBER??? No it can't be. It's just not possible.
"Excuse me sir, do you have the date?"
"The 10th"
"Of what?"
"December".

How did this date arrive? The trip seemed endless and the lifestyle everlasting, hopefully it will be. But wow, this journey took all kinds of sideroads and twisted tunnels that I could have never forseen and that was the beauty of it. It turned out the way it was supposed to, well maybe not even that, it just turned out the way it did, and the way it did was a way I could have never planned, and that's why I didn't, and why most likely I never really will! (Sorry mom!)

I saw the lowest of lows in society and the highest of highs.

As I was overlooking Syria from a ridge from the Golan heights I listened as bombs continuously went off, only 20 kilometers away, with the realization that people were losing homes, families and there possessions.

In Turkey as I was waiting to catch a local bus to Ürgub I went to a store to buy an Orange before the bus ride. Not understanding quite right I handed him too much money. He could have taken the money and said thanks, as I was a foreigner, we are stupid and supposed to get ripped off right? No he went running after me to hand me back my money, which turned out to only be a few cents. I didn't care about receiving the money just small acts of kindness and morality that makes you feel protected, that you are being looked out for. 

The warm arms (even if they weren't literally arms because hugging and body contact is not always welcomed in Asia) that welcomed me when I entered my friends and their families. It was way more than I could have ever asked for and I never felt like I was out of place,  although pictures look otherwise haha.

But it showed me the love and kindness that exists from the middle east, to east Asia and southeast Asia. In many diverse societies where in some religion is deep rooted and others where social groups are hard to enter. It didn't matter my religion, my skin color, my big nose, or my inability to speak their languages.

Even more touching then being welcomed in by my friends and there families was being welcomed in by people who I had just met. Most specifically in Thailand  and Myanmar. People I literally just met who were not other travellers, but the local people, took me in as if I was a brother and now I feel like these people are my brothers. Taking me to remote villages where foreigners rarely visited and in some had never visited, but I was still treated like a brother. These people owed me nothing and in some cases had close to nothing but they wanted to give me anything and everything. There are no words for these people, the only thing I can say is I hope to see them again and that I would do the same for them if they ever visited me.

Seeing friends that I hadn't seem anywhere between 1 month and 3 years was way cooler than I could have imagined.

Israel- Yak & Leah
Turkey- Yusuf
China- Luca & Peilin
Hong Kong- The Ronalds
Thailand- Jesse
China (2nd time)- Yiren, Joaquin
Japan- ROY! Sato, Ayumi, Roy Hongo, Kazu.

As Lucas family friend said friendship is as wide as the sky and long as the universe.

I could write forever, but I think the people at this sushi bar I'm sitting at for breakfast want me to order more than miso soup if I'm going to be here forever!

Travelling is a lifestyle. A lifestyle I won't be able to stop living.

This time has been amazing but I am excited to be back in the USA, especially to be back with my family at 639 echo lane. I understand what gpops means when we ask him what his favorite place in the world is.

Love you all! And see you all soon!

Also I CANT BELIEVE MY SISTER IS GETTING MARRIED!!!! Huge felicidades a mi hermana!!!

The world is a beautiful place.

My Japanese brotha

Haven't seen my boy Roy in about 3 years now. Which sounds like wayyyy longer than it feels because we made so many amazing memories together. It was crazy seeing him again with such a gap of time between us. After 1:30 hours of looking for each other (we're both good with planning details) we found each other and we were off. What do you begin talking about after not seeing each other for 3 years? I wished I could just say one massive word and tell him everything at once but I'm still trying to invent that word. We spent the rest of the night catching up, laughing and making new memories. Before too long we were back to the basics of our friendship and it was awesome. I think it was difficult for him a little ar first adjusting to speaking English and he didn't want to feel or show me that he might not remember all his English.  But in reality we were communicating better than we ever have. His English might be better than ever and in a few snaps he was speaking "Mac" again and noone could understand us haha. I also think he was a little off guard seeing me again especially in Japan, he said he thought he would probably never see me again.

After spending 3 unbelievable days of friendship together (not trying to make this a love story) all of a sudden we were having to say "nos vemos" again (not goodbye). He is seriously my Japanese brother. We dig each other's thoughts, approach to life, jokes, love towards others, happiness, dancing skilks haha and just each other's company.

But part of the reason it was a little strange at first when we first met is because he is working a job that is not who he is and it doesn't make him happy. It took him a second to throw this off of his shoulders and fall back into himself again. That's what I loved so much about seeing him again because I knew he would shortly crack out of this shell his job put on him and jump back into his comfy clothes. I was so happy to be able to help him do this and with the time we spent together I'm sure he will leave his job shortly and follow what he wants to do. Because we both understand (as much as one can try to) that life is short, you could die tomorrow and you wouldn't want to do it without living your life the best way you can. A compromise between what you want to and what you can actually do, but way more on the side of what you want to do and what makes you feel like making life worth living. Feeling every breath and being invested with your heart and energy into what your doing as well as having time to yourself.

But what do we know were just dreamers, but were not the only ones!

An unforgettable few days that has addedd to the highlight reel of my trip and definitely to the top of my Japan trip and I've had an awesome 8 days here.

Also, so cool to meet friends in there own homes/countries. Seeing the way you act in there countries and they act in yours. Understanding each other on a level that you couldn't before, there mannerisms, phrases,  childhood, environment, everyday life.

Also I love caos. Not being certain of anything. Looking behind the closed door and the unknown. For me adventure is not knowing and I can't live without adventure.

China round 2

NIHAO MA!!!

This whole trip I asked myself why I have a winter jacket and long underwear and now I know why! Because I was planning on staying in China for a long time and it is cold here!

After leaving China my last visit with a strange feeling I am pleasantly suprised about how amazing of a day and how excited I am for my days in Beijing. And as is when you get to a new place you want to see/do EVERYTHING and wish you had more time.

Here people speak English and the city is clean and beautiful. An ancient city in the middle of the new capital and its an amazing mixture. It doesn't feel overcrowded, overused or hectic the other places in China felt. This is a Chinese city where you feel like you are pleasantly in China. Actually I couldn't help but feeling like I was in Chicago all day. Something about the cold windy weather and the ways the trees blew in the wind and blew leaves around the streets. The way people dressed and the wide streets and clean city.

I also have had to keep in mind that all these impressions are coming after the countryside of China, Thailand and Myanmar.

I believe I understand the definitions of 3rd, 2nd and 1st world.

Happy thanksgiving to all! Love all of you! I'm thankful for all of you and your all constantly in my thoughts. The most important thing in life for me is people and the most important people in my life is my family and friends. THANK YOU!

Speaking of friends I got to see my amazing friend Yiren tonight who I hadn't seen in over a year but not a second had passed and it was unbelievable! Truly unbelievable to be able to go around the world and see people who you have created relationships with and to create relationships with new people as well who I hope to meet in future time.

Tomorrow I'm going to meet a cousin whom I never knew existed, should be fun!

On the air, road, bus, taxi, scooter, bicycle, legs, Mac

Will the real Myanmar please stand up

The land of the red stained teeth, but the golden smile. One of the only places a man looks fashionable and normal in a skirt (I must say its refreshing:)). Driving wheels on both sides of their 1960s battered cars. No McDonalds or other chain stores/restaurants (although they are making their way in). The land of simple bamboo houses but extravagant golden pagodas. A place where people give when they barely have anything for themselves, they are the most genuine and easy going people I have met. The place where people ask you if you are happy and truly hope you will return to their country. Somewhere where nobody is truly on the same page about road conditions, places you can travel, if you are being spied on, what the government is going to do next, if they will truly have fair elections in 2015, when the South East Asian games are even though they are being held in Myanmar. A place with one mother who has fought and will continue to fight for her people, and whom everyone considers their mother and loves her like one, Aung Sun Suy Gyi.
A place that is truly poor but there are hardly any beggers. You cannot avoid seeing poverty, people sleeping on streets as rats run past them, large piles of rubbish that stink up street corners, broken sidewalks and pudddles of oddly colored stagnant water. Seeing people taking bucket showers in public is common, especially in the rivers that are sometimes full of rubbish. A land where the family business is your business. Where people sleep where they can, in the back of their taxi pickup trucks, bicycle taxis and anywhere in the shade when they get a chance. A place with 3 seasons: rainy, cold and hot, but most would consider the cold season their summer. A place where people love to combine Grand Royal Whisky, which seems to sponsor the country,  and Myanmar beer.
A place where you can be the first tourist to lay eyes on a place. Somewhere you can see how the land naturally looks and functions without little human interruption and its beautiful. 
Somewhere that has a future which nobody is sure about but everyone is looking forward to. You can feel the development and see it coming but selfishly as a tourist you want it to remain the same and at the least hope they do not sell out and screw themselves over.

When you are un Myanmar you know you are in Myanmar, there is no avoiding it ir trying to live your lifestyle in this country and that iswhat makes it so amazing for some and difficult for others.

A place where you feel far away from the rest of the world but all the people want and try is to make you feel at home

Rambling man

I was so ready to leave scumbag city aka Bangkok. I made a really great group of diverse friends at my hostel that I had a great time with but Bangkok isn't anywhere I wanted to spend any more time in. Looking around you see white guys with Thai girls and rarely ever the opposite combo. What you see is neither love or lust, but prostitution. You wonder how these hags could feel comfortable holding hands with girls who look no older than 18 around town as if they are showing off a prize. Don't feel special buddy! It doesnt matter what you look like or what your personality is like,  just the size of your wallet!

After staying out way late on Halloween on Khao San rd, the famous town for backpackers in BKK I was on the road again saying adios to Thailand, until next time or forever. I had a great mix of tourist fun and unique exotic experience that I could not have imagined myself getting into.

Most memorable moments of Thailand: Staying in Umpang with my friend I met who worked for an NGO there. Hermit village, Burmese refugee camp, cock fight, breakfast lunch and dinner with only Thai people, rice wine, eating frog that i saw get caught, killed and cooked. Hitch hiking in the back of a pickup truck on a 2 hr ride  Sleeping in a bamboo house in the middle of a rice paddy waking up to roosters and in the meanwhile my friend had picked up breakfast and we ate it on the porch. Also my motorbike rd trip around 300km through more than 1,300 windy turns up and around mountainous rds through the jungle.

Anyways, after a super-tourist night I shortly after on a plane to a place where I feel far far away from the party haven of Bangkok. 

As I was sitting in a restaurant getting lunch I suddenly got the feeling as if a ghost had crawled up my spine, a cold flash and a light head,  the feeling of your body and mind at the same time realizing you are in a very different place. Hard to explain but we've all felt it. I had lunch and all the girls at the restaurant looked at me so we started communciating, barely and all of a sudden 8 girls are surrounding me laughing at me/ with me and speaking Burmese language. We entertained each other for awhile and finally when it was getting too difficult to talk more they ran and grabbed a older guy who spoke English. We got to talking and didn't stop,  he ended up taking me around the city showing me all these local things and explaining to me the culture, beliefs, languages, history, etc. Etc. He is an amazingly friendly, funny, spiritual and philosophical guy. We then went out to eat at a restaurant that while we ate and drank there was a stagr that ran in the niddle of everything where girls sang karaoke and did a fashion show. It was wild.

I'm exhausted but I just wanted to get some of these things down before I forget so excuse the rambling that proaby doesn't make sense.

I cant believe any of this happened such an unexpected day. Put yourself in situations and some things will happen.

The Hermit has spoken

Wow. Most different place I've ever been to in my life. I was so lucky to be able to make a connection to this village and we spent 2 nights with a local family that my friend knows. They speak Karen, a minority group that originates from Burma. 

We showed up unannounced, after a 20km trek through the jungle, and it was as if they were expecting us. They cooked breakfast and dinner for us everyday no questions asked. All the food they grew or gathered themselves. Men and women eat separately and men eat first. They ate with their hands but they had fork and knife as options also. The food was delicious and im sure it was healthy because it was fresh and "organic" even though that word doesn't exist to them because all food is. Everyday we would eat free meals with other villagers my friend knew or people we would meet and they would invite us for food. 

Everybody at first appeared to be vampires. With there teeth stained of red and red liquid smeared on their lips. But this is betelnut (sp) a type or tobacco that they all grow and chew regularly throughout the entire day and night.

A dirt road was just built there 5 years ago and now people are starting to have cars and mmotorbikes and access to the nearest town (20km away). In this town I was able to have a feeling of living in a gathering and growing society (they dont eat meat). But even in thid kind of town with at most 4 tiny tiny stores I was able to find coca cola, sprite and fanta. Along with roads houses now have electricity and some even small televisions. 

Beliefs:males must grow out hair and have a front ponytail, males can not wear shirts that they pull over their heads because you cannot open a t-shirt so it is like closing your mind. Button up t-shirts you can open, like your mind, women wear traditional clothes, and babies clothing seemed to be optional. Also the clothes, if not traditional, should only be one color. Males also wear these skirts as you can see in the picture of me with the family.You cannot kick any round balls I.e. soccer balls because it is the shape of the earth so it is like you are kicking the earth,  no alcohol, drugs, meat.

This village is called the "Hermit" vvillage because they believe in the Hermit, who I spent time with both days I was there. Below is a picture of me with the Hermit. We went to his grounds to speak with him. A beautiful, peaceful spot in the jungle full of his disiples. He had around 30 disciples probably between 12-20 years old. If you are part of this belief you are supposed to be a disciple for 3 years. Learning from the hermit and living on the grounds. When talking to the hermit behind hhim his disciples sat listening weaving baskets and smoking cigarettes.

Have yyou ever met anyone who didn't know what a computer was? He did not know what it was. I asked hI'm if he could have a computer if he would wsnt one and he said why would I want something he doesnt know. Also he asked me if i've been to the moon bc he heard that white people have been there. He asked me what material my camera was made out of, because everythint they have they build tthemselves and have to use from their own resources

 

Journey or Result?

Not only seeing the world, but meeting the people who make it up.

It has been amazing to see different parts of this beautiful floating rock we inhabit. But more than seeing things its meeting the people who live in it that has made this trip extremely special to me. As well as reflecting on the situations I have found myself in.

For example:

As I am sitting on the porch of a wooden cabin in the mists of rice paddies and the jungle as a mix between insects calling and Thai music blasts from the cabin across the way. A reality which would have never crossed my mind. And thats something I love about travelling is that your reality is constantly something you were unaware existed before, you are constantly expanding your map.

At guesthouse I stayed in in Chiang Mai I always had great talks with the German co-owner named Sid. He told me something important that day which has stuck with me since. As he was giving me a route to take on motorbike from one city to another and detailing all of the relics on the way he told me "but after you see a few waterfalls or caves they all blend together.  The relics are great to see throughout the day but its that one stand you stopped at along the way where you got the best piece of corn and conversation.  It's whats happening at the moment your riding through a town and the things you see. These are what make the trip memorable". This guy is obviously more about the journey then the end result and I liked that a lot.

On my journey I met a guy in a guesthouse where we were the only occupants and we chatted all night. He just finished his contract at one NGO working with healthcare for Burmese Karen refugees. He was telling me about all the interesting things in this town and I was captivated by all the NGO talk as it is something I am interested in and I have talked about so much in my INTL classes.
Next thing you know I was on a 7 hour truck ride around a mountain squeezed amongst 30 others and boxes of goodies in a truck thats faded capacity limit sticker read 15. It was the most unexpected, nauseating, eventful ride I could have asked for, and I wasn't asking for anything. Women breastfeeding their children,  people on the roof slingshoting trees, little kids holding enormous insects as pets, people's "cocks" for the upcoming fights this weekend etc. etc. Etc. And at the end of this ride I exchanged facebook info with one person on the ride. Everyone in the world has a facebook im convinced.

Today was the end of Buddhist lent and we woke up early and gave all the monks food in the pouring rain. Noodles for days!

Jungles and villages

I just finished a 107km motorbike ride through the jungle and the mountains from Pai to Mae Hong Son, it was amazing! Rice paddies, corn, bananas,  all kinds of other crops I couldn't recognize mixed in with an asassortment of villages. In Thailand it can be difficult to actually see Thailand Thailand with all the amazing tourist destinations such as waterfalls, elephant camps, hikes, beaches, yoga, massages, interesting backpackers, etc. Today on this ride I felt I was actually looking at how many of the Thais actually live, yes the dont all cater to the filongs (whites).

Being able to identify with somebody is a key to making a quick friend and being able to get conversation started. By sharing something you know about their country,  music, sites, soccer players haha etc. Identifying is connecting, if you agee on the subject or not.

Hay una Mahout en nuestra familia

And her name is Emma! Mad respect dude!

Also take a close look at this monkey business. I guess that's what happens when your locked up in a cage all day, if your flexible

A visionary, vision is scary

Cripes, just had a whole page written and then it got deleted.

Basically I had a conversation with a women from Boston tonight about college and college degrees. It was a refreshing convo that I don't get to have in person with many of these thinkers but I know there are many.

Is it a waste of time and money to go to get a degree without a proper end to a job after you graduate? Is this the way older generations have always thought and now younger one's and going to university without a clue of what they will be

Finance degrees, advertising and marketing all lead to a direct field leading to a large ladder to climb. This is a ladder I do not want to climb. I do not mind hardwork but I do if it is not something I get satisfaction from.

I believe that I am visionary and am unique amongst peers my age. I believe that I will find a way to sustain myself without having to work an unsatisfying job. Is this young and naive of me to think?  That things will fall into place and it will all turn out alright in the end? Do I have to bleed, sweat and study to be the best I can be at one skill to excel in the workforce?

Either way being a visionary fron anybody during any time period took a lot of laughs, criticism, effort and confidence to complete which makes it scary. 

I met a German guy in Bangkok who told me a saying they have in Germany. "You go to university to learn how to learn".

I had one of the best days ever today and I was almost by myself the whole time. I love that.

Here I am on my baby, motorbike who spent all day on. I ran out of daylight and had to bike on dirt roads,  it was awesome. The other picture is of a hill tribe I drove to and walked around in. It was stunningly beautiful. 

Chiang Mai locality

Got to see my friend from my theater career Jesse today before his first day of work at Emma's old school!

He introduced me to his friends he met from Thailand and I got to spend the day with them. Huge bonus that they spoke almost perfect English and one of them Had studied in Argentina and spoke Argentinean Spanish!  Unbelievable day of food, temples, biking, talking and so much laughing my throat is sore. Not to mention all this on no sleep after a 12 hour bus ride to Chiang Mai.

5 temple day

Woah woah we.

Smiles, smiles, tuk tuks, pink taxis, temples, Chang, backpackers, hot, pad thai, CHEAP, smiles.

The people here are the first thing I noticied. In my experience the people in China were rude and unfriendly in public. Getting on and off the trains, ordering at restaurants, walking through the cities, asking people for directions,  etc. On top of that not many people speak English.  Out of everywhere I've been China speaks the worst English. This surprised me because China is an economic power so I figured many people would speak English but nooo. It was awkard acting out the word "toilet". But once you are in a group of friends or family, I was lucky enough to have , people are incredibly friendly. They do everything for you pouring tea, buying gifts.

Thailand is amazing. At the airport I ran Into 3 Americans studying in HK on vacation and I took off with them to find a hostel. The hostel is full of backpackers from around the world which is nice. Thailand seems to be full of backpackers but it hasn't seemed to ruin their way of life. I havent seen many western influences of restaurants (McDonalds,  BK, etc), clothing and jewelry like Chinese cities are. This was a huge relief after HK. If someone blind folded you and sent you to HK and made you guess where you are you would guess you were in the west.

Here are some pics from the 5 temple day. 4 Buddhist and 1 Hindu. I am with the famous and enormous reclining Buddha in one and the next picture at another temple with a friend from my hostel.

Last night I went out here and got malled by a lady boy, watched people eat scorpions and met huge amounts of backpackers.  Today I went to the weekend market with these 2 Danish guys I met. Its susupposedly the biggest outdoor market in Asia. We just hung out all day getting lost in the markets. So many great food and clothes to buy and its so cheap it would be easy to go crazy.

Random thoughts and more to come manana

Watching a little boy on the train ride home after an amazingly unexpected day I saw something that got me thinking.

This little boy was ferociously digging for some gold in both of his nostrils and it was surprisingly cute. His grandma showded him not to do that. She demonstrated to him how he can wipe his nose but not to stick his whole finger up them! Right after she demonstrated this he went right back at it, almost getting his whole fist in there. This happened a few times but the kid just kept at it until the grandma gave it a rest.

That's a special stage in life, where you can publicly do something weird or gross and feel fully confident about, he did not doubt himself once. This stage usually happens when you are young and dont feel embarrassment yet, or you are old and don't give a turd. Like two covers on a book. However there are some people out in the world who are smart enough to stop caring early and get a diggin'. I happen to know a few.

You will never get time back.

I was thinking when I go back to UO to take a public speaking class. It's a great skill to know and I could definitely use some confidence when it comes to talking infront of my classes. (Nothing happened today public speaking wise, I just was thinking about class presentations).

Happy October. Wow this is all going by so fast, I'm just about half way through with this travel, even though I don't have a return ticket! I'm starting to feel crunched on time and I will have to make decisions on where I want to spend time. SE Asia or China & Japan. Tough life,  I know.

Love y'all, photos to come soon.

2 hike day, baybay!

Feliz Cumpleaños Grahamcracker! I love you and don't know how I could get in touch with you to let you know!

Grandpops I wished you a Happy Birthday on facebook but wish I could in person. Love you your inspirational!

Went to sleep early and woke up early.  It created for a productive day and a clear head!

I went on a beautiful hike around the outside of one of the luscious green forested mountain. On a certain area of the trail cable cars were flying over me and I was waving at them and mooning them! I met a park ranger at the end of the trail who pointed me towards Lantau peak, the famous mountain in the town with a trail to the top.

I rested and ate a shitty kebab, I now know what a shitty kebab tastes like, thanks, middle east. I then headed for the peak to see how much of it I could do. You can't just stop when you see yourself getting closer to the top, feeling your muscles working and the ever glorious feeling of sweat dripping off your face.

I need to do something physical for a living. I just love it tooooooo much. This is not a new thought or idea but a constant one, which g

After making it to the top I got naked and yelled. Haha it was a nude day.

I met an Italian jew named Vito who is 22. He is working in China for a year as a market researcher. Smart dude we excjanged some stories, did some hiking (post nude) and parted ways. This happens often, making a friend for an afternoon,  a meal, or a train ride.

Now I am lucky enough to be staying with the Ronalds in their new home. We went out for dinner and now I've won the jackpot and can actually relax in a nice home with people I know from home! Yes home what a cool word.

Mid Autumn festival

I LIKE!

The stars aligned and the moon shone for me to be able to spend the mid-autumn festival with Lucas family. It is the second most importsnt holiday in China and had I not been with Luca it probably would have been similar to a Jew on X-mas.

We started off eating brunch with some family friends. It is important to note that in China, in my experience, everyone eats in what they call hotels. In these hotels you rent individual rooms where you eat priavately with your party. In every room their is a private bathroom, couch, TV and round table with a rotating table where all the food is served. Food is ordered in dishes and placed on the spinner. When you are hungry spin the dish that you want until it gets to you,  but be careful not to spin when others are serving themselves. When you serve yourself you typically have a special set of chopsticks for public use otherwise the dish has a set of chopsticks on top for you to serve with. Chew with your mouth open,  spit bones and food on your plate. Something I learned to do and I actually love doing it, wait and see for yourself!

After brunch we went to the hometown of Lucas mom and dad. First stop: hanging out and a meal at Lucas grandma (mom side)

Second stop hanging out and a meal at Lucas grandma (dad side). I've never eaten so much crab before. Seafood is abundant and fresh because they live so close to the sea. After dinner we eat more, played cards,  lit candles and thanked ancestors all while many fireworks and fire lanterns were in the air.

We then went for a walk in this great park and watched the full moon. After a walk it was time for more family (idk how they were related) and food. we sat around and grilled in the streets.

Finalmente we went to Lucas and hung out on his balcony looked at the moon and eat the legendary moon cake.

I'm full thinking about it.

Oh ya, I forgot to mention the holiday is centered around the full moon.

Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Yeaaa so I'm in Hong Kong, smokin da bong, all night long, like cheech and chong, we get along, until the break of dawn, cause' I ain't got no pannies on!

Damn I should be a rapper. I left my little, crowded room in Kowloon (a part of HK, technically mainland) today and headed out for the big Buddha with all 30lbs on my back. I grabbed some food from a restaurant that Anthony Bourdain said was one of his favorite spots in HK. It didn't have the typical ambience as most of the restauratants in Gucci-ville (Hong Kong), but more of a mainland China feel as chickens, pigs and yes Go Ducks are hanging up in the windows. This was actually the first restaurant ive been to where the entire pigs were hanging up, and of course I had to get what Anthony Bourdain got, the pig. I'm considering going vegetarian for a while.

After a ferry ride and a bus ride up the mountain where it seemed impossible for anyone to live low and behold lies the big Buddha. Here I did some hiking on the surrounding mountains. Upon descending I was starving and headed for town around 6:30 to find out a ghost town. I luckily got some food and wondered around. I got a little too curious for some of the dogs and got chased back to my hostel. I have met the k-9 branch of the cripes and ill make sure to stay out of their territories now

Challege yourself and motivate yourself

Challenge yourself.

Talk to someone you don't know.

Ask a question that is irrelevant.

When you have the urge to do something, dont do it (facebook, pulling out your phone) you will become conscious of habits and you will have to find something else to do.

Have a good laugh about anything however stupid it is.

Move at a pace faster than walking

Embarrass yourself.

Make yourself feel uncomfortable.

Tell yourself that you are you and accept who you are without limiting yourself. Leave things that are out of your control behind. You cannot change your hand you can only play it.

Idea: How do you...?
People are curious especially about different people, countries and cultures.  Many people don't know things about other places besides what the see in the movies, hear on tv or from others, or read in books etc.

This will be a place for people to pose questions to people of different places and for people in these places to respond. The thing is how the person responds is up to them. Through writing, video or anything creative.  Example I leave a message in the Australian forum that says, Is it true kangaroos run around the cities? Someone could respond with a video in the city showing the person if kangaroos hop around. A better exanple might be if someone asks what a party in the US looks like a someone coukd send them a video they took at a party.

Just thinking after watching the Steve Jobs movie haha.

Oh ya im in Hong Kong.

I keep remembering Hong Kong Jeff, now I understand the nickname better

9 days later finally going to la casa de Dino.

Dark bags under our eyes, the scent of layers of sweat mixed with closed air spaces and Chinese food has left us not to enjoyable to be around unless you have a cold. We are ready to get back to Luca's house but it has not been easy. Our body's are confused and we are mentally and physically drained. We took a train from Shanghai at 6:20 pm on the 11th and got to Guangzhou at 11:30am on the 12th. The train was as usual in China as packed as my parents house would be with my dads piles if my mom wasn't around, jam packed. There are 3 options for the train.  1- bed. You have your own bed in a room with 3 others in a closed room. 2-sit down. Chairs that are as stiff as principals. They are bench style seating with 2 or 3 people on both sides. Also they have a mini table that serves as a pillow when your desperate. Finally #3-standing, yes standing. This usually means sleeping on top of luggage, or in tiny crevices outside of bathrooms or inbetween trains. 17 hours sitting down was not that much fun I couldnt even believe these people who were standing. I guess in desperate measures people are willing to do a lot worse, however it still seemed crazy to me because we felt crazy for sitting in a tight space for that long.

Nihao

After 13 hours of plane flights, 1 hour of sleep and 5 hours of time travelling ahead I made it to the peoples republic of china and met up with Lucadino! I was fully expecting to go to Lucas home right off the bat and meet his family and rest a little. However Luca was thinking a little differently and of course I had to say yes. He offered that we take a 1 1/2 week trip. First stop Lucas old college town full of 13 colleges. Yea, population of everything is a little different here. We met up with his friends and did what everyone here does for fun, we went to sing some karaoke. Karaoke comes with buffet as well. The 6 of us ate food, sang and laughed for 3 hours. Mind you this was on 1 hour of sleep and drastic changes in climate, food, people, air, company, basically everything.

After singing our hearts out which was surprisingly really fun we walked around the town which was full of Chinese college students. Then 10 of us found our way over to a Chinese barbecue restaurant. I was not hungry after the buffet but I continued to eat everything and everyone made sure I did. While eating, family style,  we played dice drinking games until late! They like to drink! Because many had class the next morning at 8:30, go China!

Today we woke up and then went to a classic Chinese brunch Gunangzhou is famous for having the most delicious food in China,  so im told but by people who are probably have a bias. Either way it was ddelicious but these people eat everything. Chicken feet, pigeons head among other things im sure I didnt even know about. We then went to the amusement park. I never thought I would find myself at an amusement park again let alone one in China.  But we had a great day and I got over my fear of rollercoasters, at least partially (I didnt cry this time haha). Now we are spending the night at Lucas friend from universities apartment in the downtown.

Mac

I got europe and asia in my hands

In this picture I am holding asia in my left hand and europe in my right! Might I add while at the sultans palace. Quite the view and place to live!

Here is a picture of a boat restaurant. To me it looks like a floating mosque. They catch the fish and grill them right there on the boat in front of you. It was a very authentic, modern Istanbul food. They did not eat fish during the ottoman empire because they believed they would come alive inside of you.  Luckily they got over that fear so I could enjoy this sandwich.

Friends

I spent my first day in Istanbul with this Japanese guy I met who I might hang out with when I go to Japan. We are in the grand bazzar the biggest and most famous shopping area in Istanbul.

Other picture is with my friend named Jesus who is from Iran. We hung out for 2 days and had a great time. Crazy time to hang out with an Iranian especially having fun with them

Istanbul day 1

The blue mosque- most famous mosque in Turkey.  Its called the blue mosque because the blue tiles in the mosque. It was beautiful and right on the bosphorus(sp)

Here is a madusa head at the bazillon cistern in Istanbul.  They had this incase of times of seige. There were huge catfish swimming in the water. There logic was if fish could live in the water it has to be drinkable

La vida loco

Picture of me and this guy whose name I forgot.  I was walking around Izmir and we started talking and he said he was a tour guide and took me around the city. If he was a tour guide or not I have no clue but he was for the day. Hes an Armenian who lived in Turkey and has now been living in Berlin Germany and Turkey on and off. His entire family died in a car crash when he was 20. He gets so much negative attention because of the wya he looks and the combo of us together was getting a ridiculous amount of attention.  He is going to write a book about his life because he believes it has been very unique.  He spoke fluent Turkish and German but his English was iffy so I couldnt understand much more.

This other picture is a typical restaurant. Kebob and döner roasting.  I have had my fair share to say the least. Fair share meaning everyday at least once.

Get your knowledge on

The library at efes. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world. I forgot my library card so I couldn't rent any books

Two types of families

Here I am with 2 different families I was spending time with. One was planned, one was not. One I knew they were family the other I did not. Here I am infront of Yusufs house in Orhanli village. Where the air is full of fresh food cooking one minute and cow whose products you will be eating for lunch the next. Talk about fresh. I feel disconnected from food much of the time and how far it has travelled to get to my plate. Is this actually organic, where is it coming from, how far did it travel to get here? How long has it been sitting for? In this village none of would ever even be on ones mind, obviously its all from within the village and their own luscious gardens. Note above our heads grapes growing. Anyways the sound of the village was full of kids running around, bicycles crashing and family talking in Turkish and Arabic.  Sight was full of houses of all colors and coloful fruits hanging from trees. The taste was delicous food and dust from the streets and the feel was family,  everyone either was or acted like they were family.  Not in the "I was born into it" way but in the "these people are the most important people in my life, they are my life" way. Kindof like my aunt nelly one night up at the great gatsbys pad said "love is love and family is everything".

In the other picture I am in a cave house with some Turks after one night I was told through broken English " We Al Capone, but good, Turkish Mafia". No worries nothing bad happened and I did not witness anything bad. Just a crazy thing to find out as you are sitting in their isolated cave house with a pittbull outside,  the Quran in the center of the bookshelf and my name is Macabee and I just was in Israel. This is info I kept to myself.

Hierapolis

One of the most complete restored theaters in the world and some of its artwork to accompany it. I believe it dates back to the 1st century! Holy shit! Also its important to note I made sure to go to the bathroom BEFORE going in. See mom I do learn from the past...sometimes

Pammukale

Ancient city of hierapolis mixed in with a calcium mountain full of hotsprings and russian tourists. Not too shabby of a monday. Also I got offered a job at the hotel I stayed at. If it were on the coast I might have said yes!

The 4 little Ducks

In Tel-Aviv the only night we went out me and a guy made eye contact and realized we knew the other but we were unsure how. We shortly figured out we were both Ducks who had just graduated (well basically). He was traveling with 2 other ducks and we all met and started talking. How crazy we had all gone to the same school for four years probably brushing shoulders on campus, at parties and other school events but never said hi to the other. Now in Israel all of a sudden we were all friends because we were ducks. We all had plans of going to Turkey but we had different routes but talkd about meeting up. However plans are hard to figure out if you don't communicate and we were all having fun and meeting each other was on neither of our minds.

After a sweaty squished bus ride for 2 hours from antalya to olympus I made a b-line for the sea to cool off. Looking down at the pothole infested dirt road I briefly looked up to see some people who looked oddly familiar.  Sure enough the ducks were all in the same little town walking down the same little dirt road at the same time. Also it turned out we were even staying at the same hostel. Life is crazy basically is what it comes down to. We couldnt have planned that if we tried to, it just had to happen that way.

The next 3 days (even though I was only planning on staying for 1) were full of scuba diving, trekking up a mountain without a route, sea kayaking among many laughs. It was awesome hanging out with them and it sucks to say that not all of us will be at U of O when we go back because it was so much fun.

Now I am traveling on to pammukkale, which are natural salt baths coupled with an ancient greek town! I only have a week left in Turkey and to be honest im a little bummed because Turkey is so awesome! But I know that China and whatever lies ahead will be incredible also. It will be a major shift from here in almost every aspect,  that is for sure!

Mom- goodluck starting work and being everyones favorite lady on the 4th floor

Caitlin- have fun being a freshman! Haha dont get hazed and read your books and think about them

Emma - goodluck and have fun starting school at NT or TGS and try to save some bananas for the rest of us.

Pops- Go Cloudbakers and keep creating an amazing environment,  and keep riding your bike!

Jihelah- goodluck starting school in Boston after your time off!

Uncle Osh- keep kiteboarding while you can because im missing it! Also eat some of those fish tacos for me.

Cousin Mark- take some awesome pics when the seasons change and listen up to the last of the house concert season!

I see the sea

Antalya-side

I have been sleeping on the balcony of yusufs cousins apartment in antalya. His name is yusuf also and he is actually crashing here until he finds a place as well. Everythint here has been great except my health. My stomach is slowly getting better but ive been struggling for the last 4 days. I took advice the advice of my previous hotel owner to tske asprin and sprite. Originally I felt better but overtime everythint got worse. Luckily yusufs brother Ali, who is in residency here and graduated number 1from his med school class is here, he told me that asprin and sprite is terrible for me and gave me other intestinal medicine to take. He is an angel. But I am now recovering and feeling better every day. Health is so important and being sick is not fun no matter where you are or who you are with.

Either way I have continued to do activities, slowly gaining back my health. I went to a close beach town side. I first went to the waterfalls which was a mistake and a tourist trap. I shortly left and headed for the ancient greek city of side. Here the city gate, theater (which they stilk host events in), ancient aquaducts, they ancient city walls and the temple of Apollo and Athena. In the previous picture I am standing with the temple of Athena or Apollo. They are next to each other while one is barely standing while the others infrastructure is only visible. This again demonstrates how humans are amazing. How did they carve these amazing precise pillars? And the detailed faces and artwork in the pillars?  How did they build something do tall and get it to stand without a crane? I guess you work with what you have, finding a way to do things with what they had available.

Side was ancient greece and modern Europe. It is a huge destination for Europeans and they were in full force. The beach was full of resorts restaurants music and dancing spaces. I slept on the beach on a lawn chair! It was actually quite comfy. Plenty of people slept scattered around the beach both for necessity and enjoyment.  The next morning I pretended I was staying at a hotel and got free breakfast!  Ya baby!

Antalya-side

Cappadoccia sunset

Love everyines comments and im reading them all and smiling! Im trying to get more pics up but it keeps failing to publish them. Here however was todays sunset at cappadoccia in the town of göreme.

What chu thinkin' lincoln?

BWhat do you think about doing something right the first time? How possible is it and what does it mean to even do something right?

I have been in cappadoccia now for 4 days without a plan. I have had 3 1/2 great days. The 1/2 bc I got a bug and was sick for half the day. But this place is so unique in the world and I have realized more and more how Turkey is as well. An example of almost being paralyzed by options. Rent a bike, car, scooter, hot air balloon, what valley to hike, what museum to go to, etc etc etc. Along the way I have asked many locals opinions and i have received great advice. I am also travelling with a guy I met who has input also,  so long as we can communicate bc his English is how people here would say "50 50". But now that I am leaving tomorrow to go to antalya I realize what I would do if I was here again. Where to stay, what to do, what to rent. I have had an amazing time in cappadoccia and would say its on a "must do list". I got a taste of culture and youth life with memet in urgub, a taste of unbelievable geology, human innovation, and churches in goreme. Overall human beings are amazing and have been for a long time.

Next stop antalya, as my friend says the best spot on the Mediterranean.  I beleive him as far as popularity goes because everyone I've talked to seems to share a similar opinion. However I almost made a last second decision to go to Ankara, the capital, for only one reason. To go to the Anatolian first civilization museum. Gordian (sp) is the first civilization in the world. At this museum they have artifacts from the first civilization and it is supposed to be amazing. But I would end up spending too much money and time to go to one museum. I chose to spend more time exploring the coast and Istanbul. But my nezt visit to Turkey ill be there.

Some thoughts on the future: Ive been thinking a bit about the future here and also some cool opportunities have popped up. Keep in mind these are just thoughts.

There are some more great Israel trips that some rich Jews are crazy and awesome for dishing out this kind of cash. At the end of our trip we got presented with 4 different options for living and working in tel aviv. A variety of different options: environmental, english, business and digital media classes. They range from 1, 000-4, 000 for 4-8months with apt, stipend and in some cases flights paid for. So I could do that for 4-6 months then go down to Eilat (sp) and work on a kibbutz and kite board and scuba dive. Maybe even be instructors (if I get good enough).

Another throught was to do a masters program abroad abd I wsd thinking Istanbul at an English speaking universiry. I met one of yussufs ciusins and he was studying there and loved it. Yussuf told me about how great of a university it is for all kinds of reasons. Now if I couldbonly remember the name.

But I think that I will want to go back to school for a little,  but not until I work (not a desk job) for a little. I really enjoy school and learning more than ever and I love the student life and environment. Also doing it in another country would be sickkkkk

Pictures!

Today was a brilliant day in capoadoccia! Im going to sleep now but will write more another time, no time to rest from havibg fun its hard to get a break. Here is me and the "3 beauties". Man are they ever! Cappadoccia is like walking on the moon and finding alien remnants of life. Bazar is the only word that comes to mind. Today I met a 44 year old Turkish dude and we chilled all day miscomnunicating, communicating through thinfs other than words, food, castles, backgammon, beer and laughs.

Here is another picture of me in a cave house in ürgüp, where I currently am. I am with some local Turks who I met through my hostel owner named memet. They speak very very little English but we have now hung out 2 nights in a row. Very fun crazy people.  Especially when you cant understand them

Gobble gobble

I got to Turkey just 2 days ago. I had to go to the airport with my birthright group at 1030 pm on august 7. After saying goodbyes to family after 10 days and potentially strangers for the rest of my life, I hope not. Wellll speaking for mostly everyone in my group haha. It was one of those moments that reminded me that opportunities only happen once (for the most part) and that you need to take advantage of them when you have them because that opportunity or moment will pass no matter if you want it to or not so you might as well give as much of yourself as you can. I feel like I did that for the most part, only sleeping 4hrs almost every night after a 10 hr time difference and waking up every morning and hiking asking questions and paying attention to speakers. However if it werent for the bus rides sleep I might not have made it.

Anyways after goodbye I had to wait for my flight at 4:30am. 6 hrs to pass, super tired, and in the middle of sleeping hrs. It was a bad decision to blow up my nillow (neck pillow) bc I soon woke up to an empty terminal. I wuickly grabbed my bag and ran on the flight right before take off. I then had a 10 hour delay in Istanbul but I met a kurdish guy who I might stay with when im in Istanbul. One of his first questions was "is it true that when you turb 18 you live separately from your family? " I soon found out how family oriented Turkish culture is.

After getting odd the plane I thought everyone spoke English.  Some signs were in English, thsy had announxements on th e flight in English, and the first few short convos I had were in English.  But I soon realized that ppl did not know much besides hello how are you and how to say numbers. This was suprising to me but had continued to be thid way everywhere ive been.

Meeting yussuf in the airport was surreal. Being the only white guy on the plane it wasnt hard for him to spot me. Flying in was beautiful to see as a mountain range separates him and the Mediterranean. Throughout the valley that he lives in I saw scattered villages filling in space between lots of agriculture. Flying in I was thinking how I only knew yussuf in Eugene.  I considered 27 and emerald as his home and the turf fields bars and other spots as our hangout areas. But now I was going to be able to actually see what shaped yussuf. Now he wasnt just from Turkey but I wss going to get to be with yussuf in Turkey.

Here is  is the dessert that is famous in Hatay, kunefi ( sp) it is a perfect blend of soft and crispy. Wow was it amazing, youll have to come try it for yourself!

Airport lovin'

Wow wow wiii. Sitting here at my new home for the next 4 hours with shoes full of sand, bags under my eyes, all my belongings for 4 more months and a whole new set of memories and friends. And also important to note I am alone for the first time in 200 hours, without taglit group 599. I already used up my right by birth to go to Israel for essentially free for 10 days. What a lucky guy I am to have this chance, so s big thanks to my Jewish heritage and to the program for taking jews as religious as I am, whats the torah again?

But seriously anyone who has this opportunity would be a fool not to take it. Travelling around a large part of the country,  seeing so much world and rekigious history, trying amazing meals mainly of hummus, kebob and falafel, and seeing a whole new spectrum of lifestyles. Did I mention it was free? Maybe thats my jewish side coming out.

My thoughts on Israel before I went have drastically changed as I think everyone on my trips did. Coming into israel I imagined it being a very dangerous country always in a state of conflict.  I imagined all those big nose, pushy, religious stereotypes that I imagine a lot of ppl do. But reality has proved me wrong, at least the one im living in. I felt extremely safe in israel walking aroud with my camera and phone out in public without feelings of threat as ive felt in other places. Internally israel is safe, within their own communities. However these people do live and have lived in a country with the threat of war. At times on a daily basis and other times not in many years. Many of the ppl we met have lost friends or family or acquaintances not to old age but to what are labeled as terrorist attacks or in battle. But as a tourist this is hard to imagine as you are walking around the cities as everything feels perfect and you have to remind yourself sometimes where you are and the status of Israel to many other countries. Also I realize that I only got to really see/hear one side of the story. Im sure if I was in Palestine my outlook would probably be completely different.
Either way most israelies were not religious and very similar to us Americans and fit right in. They were jusy normal people who wanted to have fun and be happy.

Here are 2 pictures from our sunrise hike at masadiah. Such an amazing place and unbelievable work by humanity to be able to live up there for many years. The sunrises over the mountains of jordan and over the dead sea (lowest point on earth. Here I am with 2 isrseli soliders about to finish their service, Ran and Idan.

Treats on treats

Emma- I think you would die at the market. Fresh fruits veggies and dates everywhere at the market. Not just Emma mom dad and Caitlin also but I mainly say Emma bc or her some might say a diet as weird as tofurkey, thats a white as honkey.

Anyway back to the market.  A well known night life writer in tel-aviv wrote that the obly good reason to go to Jerusalem was for this market. Every sense was in overload mode. With each strand full of buckets of their fresh colorful displays teasing you one afyer the next it would be impossible to go their without money and for some ppl its prbly hard not to spend al of it. The vegas for food and market lovers. Each stand had their own incredible odor filling the air and mixing with the next stand until the next stand took over and mix in the with following stand. Orthodox jews pushing their baby carriages like drunk drivers and people pushing hot hollah through the walkway moving at highspeed. Tourists lost in disbelief of the ambience and locals with their shopping lists bargaining for their weekly grociers. Yea, ive never been to a market in the same category as this caos, I heard that when im in Istanbul ill be in for a treat

City of David caves

Here are the caves that we walked through in the city of david. These tunnels were built in order to get fresh spring water in times of battle so they did not have to leave their city in order to retrieve water. Brilliant people and amazing tunnels considering they did this without any heavy  machinery and in only 2 years. It was a great way to cool off and get away from the hot sun, unless you can't find your way out!